Hybrid Conundrum
by captainKelrin
Summary: Several months have past since the events of Integrity and Anarchy, Nick and Judy are preparing for the birth of their daughter and their wedding. that's just the start of a whole new adventure. how will the world take to a feral hybrid how will the hybrid take to the world. Can the newly weds balance the life of parents, cops and who knows what else.
1. Chapter 1

Hybrid Conundrum

Chapter 1

Jitters

Life - It had been happening since the beginning of everything when the earth was seeded with its first creatures, either by random chance or by the design of some supreme being. There was no way to be sure how life started, but it was a proven fact life continued by two savage animals joining in a carnal embrace. The animals best adapted for the brutal game of survival lived to pass on their newly developed traits to future generations. It was a slow almost organized process, the animals divided into two main groups. Prey animals who feasted on the many plants the planet provided and predators which hunted those prey animals too fed on them.

But life couldn't be contained, not even by itself.

All animals changed but mammals most of all. As they adapted to their surroundings they grew smarter, started to use their paws in more efficient ways, used their voices more flexibly and even began to take control over their environment. They went from being simple beasts who fought to survive, to thinking beings who worked together to thrive. Forming tight families who then formed loose communities.

In time, different kinds of mammals joined together using the advantages of their species to strengthen the communities and in turn their own chances to survive. Each new change led to other inventions and ideas, which improved the society in which they lived. Predators went from being merciless killing machines to honor bound warriors, going from biting and clawing their foes to forging steel weapons and putting training and skill to the test against one another. Prey began to farm and mine working the earth to their own advantage. Buying what they need and selling what they didn't. While the predator warriors were formidable they quickly learned it was smarter to trade, live and work with the prey mammals then to fight and feed off them. Those that didn't, didn't last.

Everything about the mammals changed as they walked the path of evolution. It was not just their intelligence and behavior that changed, so did the structure of their bodies. They walked upright, they developed more sophisticated vocal cords, and even their forelimbs developed. The mammals chest grew stronger, their shoulders shifted slightly and most mammals had a digit on their forelimb develop into a thumb.

With these new abilities and easier lives, the mammals started pursuits that were not explicitly linked to survival. Art, culture and other connecting inventions were made and brought mammals of all kinds closer together. Forming more complex societies with rules, bounds and connections to other species and mammals all around the modern world. Prejudices still hung around, instincts were still strong even with the advent of technology.

Their new posture, size of their brains, and strength of their bodies changed how mammals reproduce. A thousand years ago a rabbit would be pregnant for nearly a month and give birth to around eight baby bunnies. However, a modern-day bunny would take almost six months to gestate just one kit. A baby born with potential unheard of in the primitive days of large litters. This even had effects on mammals cultural and even the structure of the family's of many species, which had minor changes their own evolution as well. It never ended.

Even with all the changes mammals only passed on their genes with others of their own kind. Maybe with closely related species but nothing like what was going on in the city of Zootopia this day. While Judy Hopps was not the first mammal to conceive the young of a mammal not of her species, an honor that belonged to the hare named Jacklyn O'hare the feral mate of Anthony Catson, both deadly feral criminals who Judy killed with lots of help from her team and Nick. Unfortunately not till after the pair and their pack had killed a score of their own. Regardless of that Judy would most likely be the first to carry her's to term. However, that was still almost three months away, Nick and Judy had many things to deal with first; doctors appointments, a visit to court for a marriage license, their wedding and not to mention both were still working.

At least they weren't dealing with murderous monsters anymore.

It was late in the day, the sun was just about to set over the city. Nick sat on the couch in a pair of jersey shorts and a white tank top. Judy was beside him laying on her back with her feet in his lap, so the fox could give her a paw rub. This far into the bunny's pregnancy her belly was getting big but it wasn't slowing her down much, but her ankles and paws got sore after a day of being on them. She was still working but was only allowed to do parking duty, while she would rather be on patrol Judy knew she should take it easy. The bunny wore some black Capri leggings and a long loose purple blouse.

"I'm just saying a mid-sized sports car would have plenty of room," Nick said, continuing the discussion they had at lunch that day. They were talking about getting a car, most likely one for each of them. It seemed like the proper next step after getting a house, especially with a kit on the way. It was all made easy by the fact the home was paid for by the city. Judy didn't feel it was appropriate to just be given the house even as a reward for service, so each month Judy sent a check to city halls as a house payment. Nick had lost the argument to not pay anything but kept her from going for full payments.

"You're not thinking about the family, Nick," Judy said with her arm over her eyes.

"I'm sure we can fit it in the back seat along with any others we have," Nick said as his paws worked to relieve the ache in his lover's limbs.

"Our Daughter is not an IT, Nick," Judy growled and lifted her arm. The fox could see her eyes glowing with the feral strength in the shadow of her arm.

Nick smiled at her disarmingly, "Sorry, Carrots, didn't mean it like that." He worked his firm pads into a problem spot just above the ball of her padless paw, it did the trick banishing her anger and making the bunny almost moan in relief, "We just found out, so it slipped my mind," Nick replied, and Judy's mouth curled up into a smile she never knew the truth of the slip, "And I'm just saying that there is little chance, Juniper will be bigger than me so she'll fit just fine."

As Judy came down from her high, she said, "Well, what I'm saying is that you're not old enough for a mid-life crisis." the giggled at the playful low growl that came from Nick, "And you're too old to be that dumb, even for a dumb fox."

The fox chuckled and said, "Carrots, don't you know? I'm 23..." He smiled at her and flexed his arm the definition of the lean muscles was still impressive, neither of the two was using howler regularly anymore, but nor had they 'cured' themselves, "...howler takes off 10 years."

Judy giggled and moved her arm off her face and rolled her eyes, "Well, if that's true then you should be arrested, Mr. Wilde,..." Nick looked at her confused for a moment, "...cause that would make me 15." The pair laughed for a moment but relaxed back into just simply enjoying being close to each other.

With an inquisitive hum, Nick tilted his head thinking, "What about one of the new Interceptors?" Judy raised an eyebrow, "Peter's been making me drive lately, and I got to say their pretty nice." while Judy was on parking duty, Nick and Petter Fangmeyer were assigned to the field together in one of the new Police Interceptors. It was a fast four-door sports sedan, but it could only fit mid-sized mammals up to around wolf size, so it seemed to be perfect to Nick, "You've seen it." the doorbell rang, and Nick mentioned the food they had ordered before adding, "I'll let you sit in it tomorrow."

"We'll see, but I want a truck," Judy said as she moved her legs to let Nick up.

Nick stood saying, "Sure." The bunny went back and forth on getting a truck or an SUV almost on a daily basis. Her idea was that an SUV was better for a family, but the idea of a truck wouldn't leave her alone. Nick chuckled and headed to the front door. Their home was a modest three bedrooms, two bathrooms single story home for medium-sized mammals. The size difference between Nick and Judy would always make living together slightly tricky, but it was still easier to add stools and steps then raise the roof. Nick could have dealt with low ceilings, and Judy dealt with oversized things all the time, so neither choice was any better. This house was available at the time, so that governed the decision most of all.

It was currently sparsely furnished, Nick and Judy were slowly building a collection of furniture, but they had the basics. A soft brown fabric couch that hugged two walls of the living room, giving them plenty of room to sit. Judy's old tv may have been a little small for the room, but the bunny didn't feel the need to get a new one. Nick was starting to think they should, but a car was first on his list.

While Nick was walking past the kitchen to the front door, the bunny looked at her left paw and the silver ring on her finger. The light caught the little purple gem. Nick had searched for a good long time to find one that matched her eyes. He was so good to her, she smiled as she placed her right paw on her belly and the growing life inside. They would make a great life together, and raise this baby they made together, along with all of Juniper's little siblings too. It would be perfect, as long as they were together. She and Nick would make the outside world a better place at work and then come home to their own little slice of heaven. What more could Judy ask for?

She began to cry with a smile on her face.

"Well, looks like the 'emotional bunny' thing is still accurate," Nick said as he returned with the food. He chuckled and ducked under a throw pillow thrown at his head.

"Ass," Judy said now sitting up and rubbing her eyes trying to dry them.

"Yep," Nick said as he sat down beside the bunny holding a hearty salad out to her, "And we need to feed yours." He smiled as she smirked while turning away from him, "You know, you love me."

"Sometimes," Judy said taking her salad from him. She pretended to watch the television but through was no way the uninteresting adds could actually hold her interest.

Nick smiled and turned his attention to opening his rotisserie chicken. The plastic container pop releasing the barely contained chicken smell. Nick easily pulled one leg from the cooked bird without even twisting it, it was nice and tender like he liked it. He sat back and sank his teeth into soft meat before he even pulled the bite away Judy was in his lap sinking her own bucked teeth into the meat. Many things had changed since Judy had used the last of Nick's nighthowler cigarettes to become feral, getting pregnant was just the biggest. Her diet had significantly expanded.

Nick watched as Judy slowly pulled the mouth full of chicken away. She chewed it from behind her paw looking at the fox with a sensual gleam in her eyes. The fox didn't even take the bite he had. He smiled and set the chicken leg aside saying, "Well, I guess dinner can wait a little bit longer." he smirked as three other foxes, or more precisely three different versions of himself showed themselves behind Judy. Todd, the fox on all fours, was what Nick could be if he went full-savage. Robin was the kit Nick always wanted to be, while Slick was the punk he had once been. Since kicking his howler habit, they had stopped showing up constantly though they seemed to be there when he needed them.

After swallowed her bite of chicken and licking the juices from her lips, the bunny smiled up at Nick. To her eyes and ears, she sensed her own extra shelves. The rowdiest of the bunch, the one that dressed like a farm girl whooped and cheered from behind the bunny, while the savage lounged on the back of the couch watching. There was a cop bunny too, she just gave the real bunny a thumbs up and made her exit. Unlike Nick she had yet to name them, they were not around enough to bother too.

Like many pregnant females, Judy was prone to mood swings and could be needy at times, with her hormones so off the wall it was to be expected. Especially with the odd pregnancy. She was still in full control most of the time and Nick was happy to oblige most of her needs, most of the time. Somethings were a little difficult, but they managed to make it enjoyable for both of them.

Being a feral some of Judy's instincts had resurfaced in strange wises. She never seemed to lose herself to the oddities of her feral nature as often as Nick had done during their time leading the Anti-feral Taskforce, but there had been a few instances of odd behavior. A few times when someone had startled her, she had jumped nearly ten feet in the air and once even over a cubicle at work. Though it was only felines that would cause that kind of reaction in the rabbit. She said it was because cats no matter how big seemed to rarely make a sound when they walk, the truth was much deeper than that.

Cats scared Judy.

After months with their life on the line and struggling with a psychotic bobcat that would have eaten her, if he had gotten the chance to, it was understandable to be scared. Judy didn't blame them, it was just a moment of fear when fight or flight kicked in. Thankfully flight was at the forefront currently, a fight wouldn't end well. Most likely for the poor unsuspecting feline.

At home was where the real odd behavior manifest, strangest of which was when Judy`s nesting behaviors kicked in. While she hadn't dug holes in the backyard or plucking fur from her neck to build a bed yet, she had tried to make a den. One day while Nick was searching for the best deal on the cars they were looking for he noticed his fiance carrying around blankets and towels form the hall closest to their master bedroom. He thought nothing of it until his pregnant lover started to pull the pillows and cushions off the couch and carried them to the bedroom.

As the bunny checked if the back of the couch came off Nick asked, "what's up fluff?"

"Nothing much." Judy replied, "find anything good?" she asked and abandoned the firmly attached back cushions. She walked over to see if the fox had written anything down like she asked. Nick had found a few sales coming up, he said as much, and Judy told him how proud she was before kissing his cheek. Then with a yawn, she walked to the bedroom.

The fox let his head fall and sighed, "Wonder if I was like this." referring to when he had been doing howler during the feral incident. Nick stood curious more than anything. He tiptoed to the master bedroom, passing pictures of family, friends, and of both Nick and Judy's graduating classes, outside their bedroom was a picture of the Anti-feral Task force Judy had led. Though the unit was officially disbanded the bonds formed in battle would never break. Those they lost would be dearly missed.

The master bedroom was set up simply, but with a homey feel. Two dressers, the tall for Nick while the shorter wide one was for Judy. A few scented candles sat on top of both along with a few more pictures. These were of them and their families, soon it would be Juniper's pictures filling these places. A bassinet sat in the corner of the room, right where Nick had said they should have put Judy's old tv. However none of that was what Nick even noticed, some of it he actively tried not to think about.

His only concern was the giant mound of pillows and blankets on the bed. There was an opening in the hill, and the sound of claws on fabric came from within. Nick's eyes could detect movement inside the 'classic' burrow. A smirked sigh left the fox as he climbed up on the bed on all fours. He looked into the den and spied Judy rooting around in the darkness.

The bunny felt eyes on her, and she froze, slowly she turned to look out the hole at the face of the smiling fox. There was a time that a pregnant bunny doe would have died moments after seeing a fox peering into her burrow. However, this day seeing it just made Judy smile. On all fours, she moved to the edge of the burrow and poked her head out her nose wiggling as she sniffed Nick's cheek and muzzle in between kisses, "Carrots you know you-"

"Yeah," Judy replied as she kissed his neck, "come on in for a bit." with a chuckle the fox did just that. The feral fox curled around his pregnant bunny mate. They planned on only napping in the den before dismantling it. However, the product of the feral's mind lasted for the next three days. It was just too warm and cozy to get rid of too quick, both ferals loved being so close like their ancestors would have done with their own mates. There just seemed something right too Judy about being a little gray furred ball wrapped in a red furry ring. Nick liked it very much too.

That was the cuter of her new odd habits. Most weren't, especially when it involved Judy hiding food in the bedroom. Which was fine when it was a carrot or other hard vegetables, though annoying when Nick plopped down on the bed only to land on a potato in his pillow. It was another thing to find fish or chicken in the sheet. Nick, at Judy's request, began double-checking the bedroom each time they would leave.

Thankfully the oddities were kept at a bearable level. A few days before the wedding with a loan from Judy's parents which was their wedding present, the pair were preparing to go buy the cars they had been looking at. They were dressing nicely too, as Nick put it you have to look like money to spend money. Judy didn't care one way or another, but dressing up did make her feel good about herself. Despite her feral side telling her that she is the biggest, baddest Momma on the planet she still felt self-conscious like most pregnant females do at times.

The bunny wore a pair a thick black slack, good for the winter cold but was still dressy. Her top was a short winter dress that matched the slacks in color but with thick gray and black wool cuffs and hood. The dress used to come too her lower thigh, but now it was well up to her mid-thigh, which is precisely what Judy was examining in the mirror at the moment.

"I remember this being longer." Judy sighed as she fused with the edge of the skirt.

"Well." Nick said looking up from the gold watch he was latching on his wrist, "you did grow quite a few inches in the midsection."

"Whose fault is that?"

"The Kit's," Nick said standing up. He wore some nice blue jeans that hugged the vulpine's tight bum just right. His white polo was crisp and clean almost like it was fresh from the store. A blue and red tie hung loosely around his neck. It worked for the slick fox.

"She can't help it," Judy said cradling the growing belly and the kit within.

Nick stood and walk past her but stole a kiss from her cheek as he said, "Maybe not, but you look gorgeous anyway." his tail gave the firm butt of the bunny a pat as he headed to the closest and pick out his komodo leather jacket. It was shiny black and loose on the toned fox's arms. Living in a city that only had at best two weeks a year where it could snow for all 33 years of his life had left Nick with only the lightest of winter coats.

For hopefully the last time Judy had ordered a ride. Their driver was one they knew and thankful okay with them being together so Nick could hold the pregnant bunny all he wanted even whisper sweet nothings into her ear. Sometimes the bunny's feral ego needed boosting just like his had months ago.

The night before a few inches of snow had fallen. It was expected so the roads were clear and the black ice had been dealt with before the most businesses even opened. Holiday decorations were up, and mammals were dressed for the season. It was all so nauseatingly cheery and obnoxiously pleasant. However, the forced joy and goodwill did bring out the best in many mammals at times.

The VMC dealership was opened, bright light and the cars on display were cleared of snow. Most of the sales mammals were inside where it was warm. Across the lot, a wolf was being shown a truck by a deer, but for the most part, the lot was empty. Nick held Judy's paws as they walked inside. The warm air was like a thick wall behind the electric sliding doors. It was nice to let the warmth wash over them, even though they were outside only for a minute or two.

The main area of the dealership had white pearl tiles with light blue walls. To break up the clinical appearance the walls had large murals of all the vehicles in the company's line up. While the floor had mat silver tiles that made the company's logo, a large C around an M over a V. It was meant to look like a fox's head and tail. Originally VMC was the only car company that would sell to vulpines and other species with less savoy repetition, but with changing times and a multitude of laws along with the son of the original owner being a shrewd business mammal, it was now one of the biggest car companies in the country. With a selection of vehicles for mammals of all but the extreme ends of the size categories.

An antelope in a red sweater spotted the pair first, he set down his hot cocoa down and hurried over to claim them as his sale. Nick and Judy had to be here to get a car, it wasn't the kind of weather one just browses for fun in, even if they looked like they might be the type that did so. He smiled a sickly sweet salesmen smile, much like Nick could at the drop of a hat, and introduced himself, "Howdy, I'm Micah." he shook Nick's paw and continued, "How can I help you and your little lady friend today."

A tremor ran through Judy as Nick's eyebrows twitched, the sales mammal had no idea how badly he just messed up. Despite her anger and wish to outright destroy this mammal now, the pregnant bunny left it too Nick and released the emotion with a fast thumping of her paw. Nick smiled a charming smile that spoke volumes more than his words did, "Well, I know the car I need but," he motioned form his chest to Judy still holding her paw, "my fiance here has plenty of questions about what she wants."

The sales mammal's eyes widen slightly as he looked at Judy and said, "Oh yes of course, how can I help, ma'am." he offered a hoof to shake her paw.

Judy did not take the offered hoof and said, "Well first off I need to see a couple SUVs in my size, I want to know if they're big enough for him to ride in," Judy motioned to Nick, her voice hid her agitation well enough. She told Micah the models she was looking for, none of which were the truck she really wanted, at least she wasn't getting a minivan, "Oh and I don't want any black or white ones I drive enough of those as already."

Micah knew he had messed up, Nick may look like a try-hard, and Judy may have seemed like a doe about to pop, but It was all an act. Judy was definitely pregnant, but it didn't hinder her in the lest. Now with a glimpse of their strategy, he knew he would never see when the metaphorical kill would come. With that slip of the tongue, Micah had started this game of misdirection. Nick had put him on the wrong paw by putting Judy in the forefront, and as soon as she lost momentum, he would step in. Micah's only hope was that they would have mercy on him.

Time to suck up to the pair. It was the only way he could get any kind of advantage.

Walking back out into the chilling air made all three shiver. Judy most of all. The bunny slipped her paw out of Nick's to pull her hood up. She made sure to slide her ears down the back of her head under the warm wool first. However, that wasn't the last thing she did while they followed the sales mammal. The bunny step in closer to Nick and snagged his tail, "what are yo-" he said as he watched her walking in perfect step with him and drape his fluffy appendage over her shoulders. She smiled up at him, and he returned it, "Sly Bunny."

The couple was shown several SUVs with various extras in a multitude of colors. The smaller crossover models Nick could squeeze into less than comfortably, and in Judy's current state she was having trouble too. With her belly closer to the size of a bunny carrying triplets then a single baby. The antelope only showed Judy one Mid-sized small mammal SUV, the rest were the wrong color. Sadly this red one with the cream interior was just small enough Nick's ears touched the roof. Judy wasn't satisfied with it anyway.

What she really wanted was a big bunny truck.

Nick knew this so after sitting in a few of the bigger SUVs and seeing the bunny's eyes drifting over to the full-sized trucks not far away. The fox decided on what he had to do, Judy denied what she really wanted from some misplaced sense of nobility or maybe fear. She wasn't going to lose what she had by going for something else she wanted and she deserved the best after all. So without asking Nick scooped her up, "What are you doing?" she shrieked, though feeling so cold and her husband to be so warm her resistance was little more than a token effort.

"You haven't liked any of these things, why not look at something you will," Nick smirked as he walked past several bunny sized pickups and found one with wine red paint. Micah followed close behind, rattling off a few of the features this truck had. It was much more square than the bunny model back on the farm but with a more predator 'face' and stance suited for city driving. It could hold its own in the dirt if needed. Of course, it was sized for a bunny but had plenty of bed space. The black interior was beautiful, and while Nick was a little big for it, he was comfortable enough. The back seats had plenty of room too, though though a full sized fox was pushing it. There was no way Juniper could get bigger than him right.

After Micah had retrieved the keys for this truck and Judy heard the V8 rumble she smiled, "this one." she looked up at Nick as he smiled proudly, "Sly fox."

"Well, that's why you love me right."

Judy giggled and said, "It's one of your good points." the fox leaned in, cupped Judy's chin and kissed her.

Micah looked away and whistled a little till the kiss was finished. He looked back, and Nick smiled at the antelope, "Let's get to the fun part." Judy giggled as she looked over at the sales mammal too. Micah felt his heart start to race, why was he afraid. It was probably something about their eyes. They seemed to glow, with a light or power he could not place. It was old and dare he say predatory, even from the bunny.

Probably because they were cops.

Judy sat in her truck a bit longer while Nick hopped out and walked around to the other side. Her great hearing picked up every step, breath, and the word he had with Micah. Nick was starting the hustle for real now, they weren't going to get the truck and car for free, but it would be a good deal. As it should be after the antelope thought she was just arm candy.

Judy pulled the keys from the keyhole, and she gingerly stepped out of the warmer truck into the cold air. She may not think she was a 'fragile momma bun' as she put it, but her subconscious knew better. Besides she had more important things to worry about, Nick was using their unborn daughter as leverage on the sales mammal. Micah was already pudding in their paws no need for that, Judy was worried about how the city would take the hybrid, now she worried the kit's father might take her out swindling.

The bunny's mood swung from happy to angry, and a throat clear let the boys know it.

"Oh," Nick commented seeing the eyes of his love, "Uhm, let's get inside where it's warm."

Nick waited for Judy to walk beside him and fell in step with her. She cradled her belly as she walked, but when Nick draped his tail over her shoulders like she had done herself earlier, Judy shrugged it off.

All three were happy to be inside the warm building again. Nick knew the exact car he wanted. While he told the antelope to bring the car and truck around, Judy wandered over to the complimentary coffee and drinks station. She wanted something warm. With the help of a chair, the bunny made herself a steaming cup of coffee, she added some carrot cream, cinnamon, and sugar just the way she loved it. The cup warmed her paws, and the steam took the chill from her cheeks. With a sip or two of the hot drink, the cold was chased from her body.

She put a top on the cup and looked over at Nick and smiled. He and Micah were outside looking over a black Chaser, the perfect name for a four-door sports car that had become the premier interceptor for police forces across the country. It was a rounded boxy vehicle with a blunted wedge profile. Where the truck Judy had picked was vaguely predator, this muscle car was pure aggression and power in metal form. It's slanted stylized lights almost had a feline look to them with a full open grill with fang-like accents.

Seeing her dumb fox going to work wheeling and dealing with the sales mammal made her smile. He was so good, as long as she kept him in check. Judy checked if there were any coffees Nick would like, thankfully there was one of the pricy hard to pronounce coffees from half the world away. The bunny made it just the way the fox loved it, a spoon of sugar in place of honey for some sweetness and just the coffee. She couldn't stand it.

Judy gingerly climbed down from the chair and collected the two cups of coffee. The sliding door opened and Judy forced her way through the wall of cold air. The bunny walked up to Nick and almost purred as she snuggled her way under his arm and leaned on his side. She smiled as he looked down at her. He smirked as he took the offered cup and sip at it. They weren't the best beans, but it was made the way he liked it, and anything given to him by Judy was instantly better.

"Thank you," Nick said with his arm and tail around her. After a few warming swallows the fox led Judy around the car. It's classy black paint caught the light in just the right way while its warm bird leather interior had a contrasting black and white looked inviting and elegant. Both of the 'young' lovers had the same thought. "That back seat looked comfortable and spacious."

Ferals will be ferals after all.

Judy was satisfied by the inspection of the car, but seeing her truck parked beside the car, she noticed something. The two vehicles were almost the same size. She knew Nick was a mammal size category bigger than her, but seeing it so plainly displayed made her almost laugh. They really were a mismatched couple, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

"So...," Nick said looking at Micah, "...Let's talk money... for real." The antelope gulped and agreed.

The whole process didn't take long, Nick and Judy didn't even pull out their full arsenal of tricks. In the end, everyone was happy, even Micah. While the sales mammal was off getting the many papers that were being printed out Judy looked up at Nick, laid her small paw on his bigger one and said, "We make a great team."

"Yep," Nick replied with that one of his wonderful smiles.

Judy smiled back with an expiration of pure, peaceful joy, "I love you."

"I know," the fox replied turning to the bunny and taking her paw in his, "and I love you... so much." His walls were down, Judy could tell he was truthful.

The bunny closed her eyes and prepared her lips for the coming kiss. Nick would never miss a chance to kiss his fiancee, it just never seemed right too. Judy giggled as their lips separated and said, "First comes love."

"Then comes marriage," Nick answered guessing the bunny wanted him to play along.

"Then comes Nicky with a kitty carriage," the bunny smiled, "Just a couple of months and the rhyme comes true... hope you're ready, Slick."

"Of course I'm ready," Nick replied but something clicked, he was about to be a dad.

"Better be." Judy said as she slipped out of her chair, "Now if you'll excuse me. I have to go, been holding it for way too long."

The smile Nick had fractured as the thoughts of being a father rolled into his mind, thankfully Micah returned with the papers to sign. Judy returned not too long after the antelope. Fortunately, she was none the wiser to the thoughts of her fiance as she added her name to the papers. All in all, it was a good day, though the seeds of doubt and worry were sown in the mind of the fox.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

With everything they were dealing with: pre-wedding jitters, the worries all expectant parents have, and a stressful job it was a wonder Nick and Judy weren't nervous wrecks. Judy managed her's by focusing on one thing at a time, be it her job, her lover, maybe something she was cooking at the time or taking care of herself. Although, that last distraction was proving to have its own problems at times. Especially when it came to Judy's doctor. He had come highly recommended, but it was clear Doctor Wallace had his own feelings about cross-species relationships and the pregnancy this one brought him. To put it nicely, he didn't approve any of it, at all.

The morning before the wedding the bunny had a checkup. So both her and Nick had taken afternoon shifts. They were dressed for work since the plan was to head in after the appointment. Judy's standard neoprene all-weather gear was way too tight for her growing belly so like Nick she wore blue slacks and button-up shirt. At this point, the bunny's regular shirts had gotten too tight as well so now she was wearing one of Nick's spare shirts. Said shirt was currently unbuttoned half-way down from the collar while a bunny nurse in pink scrubs was listening to Judy's heart. The capybara doctor was busy checking the results of other tests and comparing them to his notes. Despite his misgivings, Doctor Wallace still had a job to do.

The nurse smiled and nodded, "just about perfect." She commented hopping down from the exam table. Nick looked up from his magazine, he was trying not to look at the many medical pictures of the various states of fetus growth for the most common mammals. The fox didn't like to think about any of it.

"Good to hear," Nick said putting the magazine down. Judy was busy buttoning her shirt.

"Yes," Doctor Wallace commented less than pleased. He turned and looked at Judy, "have you had difficulties? Maybe any unusual symptoms?"

"Well, I have to pee every time I turn around." Judy said with her paws cradling her belly, "but I think that's normal."

"And so is your ankles and back hurting after work" Nick added.

"Yep, all normal." The bunny nurse agreed, she had been talking with Judy about her three kits during the exam.

"There is nothing normal about any of this." Doctor Wallace said gravely, "I don't think any of you get how dangerous this is." The capybara looked sternly at Judy unaware that to his left a vicious version of the bunny cop crouched on the table, her belly bloated like the real Judy, but her teeth bared ready to fight.

It was that moment, in which Judy gave her first apparition the name Ripley.

"Your child is growing as quickly as a bunny," The doctor continued, "but is almost twice as big as one should be at this stage. There's no telling if your body can handle carrying it, let alone birth it." Doctor Wallace glanced over his shoulder for a moment, he swore someone was there, "Even as evolved as we all are many mammals, rabbits included, can succumb to shock and die in minutes, from relatively simple things. There is nothing simple about this situation."

"It will be fine" Judy almost growled.

Nick put a paw on Judy's knee to calm her down, "Her vitals are perfect, so there shouldn't be a reason to worry." the fox snorted, "Besides she's a lot tougher than you think." Nick saw Todd snarling at the doctor from the floor but showed no sign of it.

Judy nodded her ire ebbing as she saw the cop version of herself pull the savage away, the real bunny ignored the urge to name her for the moment then said, "We'll tackle those hurdles when they come."

The capybara sighed, both Judy and Nick could smell the disgust on him, "Very well, keep taking the two half doses of the vitamins and take it easy. I would suggest you take time off from work and relax. You should definitely not drink." he looked at Judy with a stern glare, "You said it was your bachelorette party tonight so don't even push it."

"I didn't plan on it." Judy replied, "but I'm going to work till I'm about to pop." Neither Nick or Doctor Wallace agreed with that idea. The doctor for obvious reasons but it bothered Nick for others. He was sure Judy would be fine, she was tough but just too damn stubborn die cause of their kit. It was the kit itself that frightened him.

He tried to not think about it as Judy signed her papers and paid. Like always the pair felt a little uneasy after speaking with Doctor Wallace, however lately-

"Sarah!"

Judy blurted out derailing Nick's train of thought as they headed out the front of the office, "What?"

"Oh," Judy said looking up at Nick, "Uhm, I'm naming them."

"Them?" Nick questioned, she nodded confirming what he thought, "Oh. What you got?" this was good a distraction.

Judy didn't answer until the two mammals were in Nick's new car, "The savage...I call her Ripley and the cop...I just came up with the name, but I think Sarah is perfect." on the short ride to the station the pair raised their mood by discussing a name for the last of bunnies that lived in Judy's head. Following the same naming scheme as the first two eights and nineties female action movie characters. They decided on Marion, the spitfire female wolf from the Indiana Jones movie.

While they talked Nick secretly hoped Judy would notice his worries and shatter his walls and make everything better. However, she had her own problems, her own things to worry about. So like Nick used to, he bottle up his troubles and attempted to ignore them. It worked before, so why not now?

That cramped bottle was getting harder and harder to ignore.

At work, the pair were separated much too their disappointment. Nick wanted to talk but with Judy off on her own and doing parking duty, despite Chief Bogo never actually planning for her to be in. Judy was just being too stubborn to notice the hint. The fox kept his troubles from his temporary partner Peter, Nick thought of the wolf as a brother and trusted him with his life, but he couldn't trust him with this, could he?

It was a relatively uneventful day. Although Nick and Peter did have to arrest a couple of young mammals on drug charges the two pups didn't even put up a fight. Judy also got a few complaints about tickets she gave out, but there wasn't anything she would put in a report. Although Judy did find it strangely insulting that a couple of mammals began to yell at her but stopped when they saw her belly. She wasn't a fragile glass flower she could take anything they threw at her.

Finally, the long annoying hours rolled over to quitting time, and the soon to be bride and groom were snatched up by their respective wedding parties. Judy was a little jealous, while Nick was taken off for a wild night with the boy she was taken to a fancy restaurant before returning home for presents. It was a big party, but it was made up mostly of Judy's sisters, so they didn't take up too much space.

The combo bridle and baby shower were fun despite some early difficulties. Bunnies that had never been around anything bigger than foxes and sheep found being around wolves, bears, and lions a little intimidating. Tara the bear, one of Judy's Anti-feral task force members, was understanding of it and nobody could be frightened of Benjamin Clawhauser after talking to the cheetah for half a second. The real test was when Fru Fru arrived, fashionably late with an escort of mob guards. All of whom were big fighting polar bears. The tiny shrew dismissed them quickly enough, but it was a tense moment.

Cops and Criminals often don't get along.

As for Nick's party, there was a lot more energy. First, they went to a steakhouse. Where the fox was bought the biggest komodo steak, he had ever seen. The feral devoured every bite, it felt good, and it felt right for a part of him. He had good food and a pack of friends. They had fought together, bled together, but there was a nagging thought that just seemed to determined to ruin his good mood.

After a nice big dinner, the males headed to a local club. Live band, good drinks, and plenty of girls and a friendly atmosphere. The fact that half the cops were already married was lost on Peter, though he said they were there for the music. There was a reason the white wolf was Nick's second choice as a bast mammal, Fin was his first, but his old friend had declined. Nick wondered if the last of his old friends would even come to the wedding at all.

However, Peter was doing a good job, venue of choice notwithstanding. Everyone was having a good time. Even Nick for the most part, but with his worry weighing on him, the fox could never truly enjoy the night. So after showing off a little for the crowd, he slipped away. He pulled his green tie loose and unbutton the top button on his red collared shirt as he took the stool in the shadowy corner of the bar. He sighs and ordered his fourth whiskey on the rocks of the night.

"Nervous huh?"

"Wha-no," Nick said looking to Peter as he leaned on the bar and ordered another beer. The wolf had reserved the smaller private bar for them, so there was no wait.

"You sure."

Nick took his drink and looked up at the wolf, "What's with the grilling?"

"Most guys at their bachelor party go crazy, drinking champagne like there's no tomorrow." the wolf took a swallow of his cold beer, "But you've been nursing whiskey like someone trying to forget something."

"I like whiskey" Nick replied simply.

The wolf smiled the goofy smile of a friend that knew the other well, "so which is the wedding or the kit."

Nick sighed, now or never to widen his group of trustees, "the kit."

"It is a big responsibility."

"It's also the scariest fucking thing that has ever happened to me," Nick threw back the last of his drink, "and I've to deal with mammals that wanted to shoot me dead. I even went face to face with feral monsters, but I'm still more terrified of being a dad."

"Yeah." Peter nodded, "but you can do it."

Nick looked less than enthused, "You sure. I don't even know how a good dad should be."

"Really?" Peter asked he knew that Nick's mom raised him on her own.

"Kind of hard to learn from someone who left when you're four."

Peter was at a lost for words but was quickly backed up by Leo the oversized lion, "True, but you love Judy right." he had seen the pair talking and felt like butting in and was glad he did.

"Without her, I wouldn't have a world." Normally mammals other than Judy would make the fox shut the gates and close his mouth, but this night, he didn't. Maybe it was the whiskey, maybe it was that he saw these two cops as his brothers maybe it was just his need to voice his worries to someone without bigger problems at the moment like Judy, so he continued, "but mom says my dad used to say the same stuff."

The other two nodded and let the fox vent as he clenched the glass, Nick could have easily shattered it if he wanted to, "she says it all the time that I remind her of him."

"Probably just the good parts."

The look Nick gave Peter told the other cops that it wasn't, Nick did have a reasonably checkered past after all. The fox ordered another whiskey and sighed, "Now I'm terrified that despite turning my life around. Some dumb part I got from him will make me ruin it all."

Nick drained the whiskey the bartender gave him in a single toss of his head, "I mean I still call the kit an IT, even though she has a name and Judy wants to bite my head off every time I do. I keep telling myself it's a long way off, but it isn't. It's barely two months away, and I'm-" Nick released an exasperated sigh.

Leo nodded, "I went through the same thing before my cubs came." He smiled fatherly and added, "It changes when you see them for the first time."

"You know what I got an idea." Peter interrupted, "I know how to prove you'll do anything for the sergeant."

"What."

"Don't worry about it, just be ready to get shot."

With a long sigh the fox let himself be pulled off his stool, "You know I've been shot before, it doesn't tickle."

"Oh, hush we all know you can take it," Peter said before addressing the party.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Judy's party could barely be called that, with the guest of honor incapable of drinking and no one would let her do anything close to strenuous, like dance. However, she was still enjoying the time, if maybe a little jealous of those who did indulge in both. The meal at the salad bar was great, thankful the only guest that wasn't an omnivore was Clawhauser but with a dessert bar, a metaphorical half a mile long the plump cheetah was happy.

It was a good meal, but the only present Judy got was a cute princess tiara. Its plastic jewels and false gold didn't look real, but it showed she was the girl of the hour. Along with it, she wore a loose white dress that folded over at the shoulders while following the curves of her motherly from. The loose skirt hung down to her calves like the petals of a flower, the dress was simple but sweet. Some pink lipstick was the only makeup she had applied other than some blueberry perfume. A gold choker with three emerald green stones and her silver engagement ring completed the outfit.

After the meal which was much less boisterous than the boy's dinner but filled with no less laughs, the big group of girls headed back to Judy's house for daiquiris and presents. The hormonal imbalanced bunny just cried her eyes out about every present she received. Hugs and laughter were shared between all. Eventually, the stack of wrapped boxes was depleted, and thankfully the guest had listened to Judy and hadn't bought any clothes for Juniper. There was no way to know what would fit her when she was born. However, socks and mittens to keep her from scratching herself were perfect, especially those that were made by paw like the ones Judy's mother brought. Toys, a diaper disposal unit and other little items to help with everything were great too. Teething chews made from bark as well as dried chicken hide, just in case the kit took more after her father, were also appreciated if they were bought a little early.

Few knew of how Nick and Judy were able to conceive this miracle, thankfully fewer still had mixed feelings about it. Only Judy's grandfather back home was upset, but that couldn't be helped.

The company was enjoyed, and a few of Judy's young adult sisters were having fun dancing while the others talked. Bonnie Hopps and a few other mothers talked about both how wonderful but hard it would be in the future of the young couple. Judy listened but was sure it would be different. For a brief moment, the bunny wondered if there would be anything normal about Juniper.

Clawhauser checked his phone for the fourth time in an hour and one of Judy's sisters Penelope looked up at the plump cheetah and asked, "You sure you came to the right party, dude?" the jean jacket, band t-shirt and short skirt wearing bunny had been confused to why the male predator was at the bunny bridal shower even though he was a grooms mammal.

"Oh yes, don't worry about me," Ben said waving away the question with a bent paw. His phone beeped, and he excitedly checked it with an equally excited giggle. Penelope rolled her eyes and looked back to the dance floor.

A loud knock at the door cut through the sound of talking and music. Most were confused, but Benjamin said, "I'll get it." the plump cheetah hopped up and hurried to the door with a stifled giggle, "Oh no, the cops." the cheetah said with the worst acting anyone had heard.

A murmur of 'what' rolled through the gathering, Sonya and Tara both rolled their eyes and looked at Fru Fru knowing the maid of honor had set this up. The shrew was looking at her phone mumbling about, "being late." Ben hurried back in and took his place on the couch after he turned off the radio in the room. A little cop walked in the crowded den with a hat down hiding his face fairly well. As soon as Judy saw the red tail, she knew who it was.

"Sorry, to interrupt Ladies but I got a noise complaint," Nick said in a false voice as lifted his head and smiled at them all, "It's not loud enough." he flicked a coin behind him and a song starts with a familiar high pitched, "Yeaho" sound and a quick pace beat. It was a familiar song, and while Nick was not as good a dancer as the mammal that made it, he was good enough to show off.

Nick was in time and step with the beat and lyrics as he removed his tie and danced around the room like the stripper that Fru Fru hired. She wasn't mad about wasting money on a dancer that was just holding a boombox, this was better than what she planned.

The fox may have always had eye contact with Judy as he danced around the room but he wasn't neglecting the other girls. The youngest of Judy's 'sisters' at the party, a brown bunny with large purple glasses, gasped as the fox draped his tie over her head and smiled at her. The female on the very cusp of adulthood blushed so hard her ears and face almost melted off, especially after Nick cupped her face with his tail. There wasn't a female in the room that didn't know why Judy had fallen for the fox, and just about all of the single ones were just about drooling at the predator's muscles as he revealed them. Half the married females were glad their husbands couldn't see them right now.

"What a smooth criminal," Judy said with a roll of her eyes, she laughed a little at her own bad joke as the display continued. Nick's button-up shirt was already on the floor and in time with the song he knelt in front of a couple other of Judy's 'sisters' these two near her age. He flexed his arm and smiled at Judy nodding to the beat, he smirked more as the bunnies squeezed his steel hard muscles. Judy let it go on for a bit, but soon enough she ended it with a display of her claws. The fox spun away from the fawning bunnies and made his way to Judy.

During a tempo change, Nick looked at the tight, white tank top he wore and smiled. When a snare drum hit the fox flexed his chest. The neckline tore but the split only went part way down his chest, "that didn't work like you thought it would, huh?" Judy taunted over the music.

"Yeah," Nick replied as he leaned over, he was thinking on his slightly drunk paws, "It just proves." he reached out and took his loves paw in his and kissed it, "that I need you in all things." he moved her paw and hooked her pink painted claws on the tare. An awed gasp rolled through the bunnies and Ben while the two female cops just smiled and rolled their eyes at the sweet sight.

Judy was smiling with tears in her eyes as she pulled her claws down cutting the shirt open. Nick turned to the crowded room, flexed his arms and chest again letting the shirt fall to the floor. He swayed his hips from side to side, rubbing Judy's chin with his tail. As the song ended, Nick looked over his shoulder and said, "You going to give the talent a tip."

Judy giggled, "I think I already got the tip and everything behind it too." she rubbed her large belly while a few guests called her name scoldingly, none louder than her mother.

"You kiss your mother with that mouth?" Nick asked with a smirk.

"Not as much anymore," she replied tilting her head up waiting.

Nick smiled and dropped his arms. He wagged his tail as he leaned over the bunny. With a smirk he looked at the others, "okay, girls, the shows over."

"What about my kiss goodnight, Mr. Wilde?" Judy asked, both knew that they were going to split up for the night. It was terrible luck seeing the bride before the wedding after all.

"Now I wouldn't want to leave you without that now, would I?" Nick answered as he leaned down, the lip lock was gentle and caring just the way a kiss should be. A few of Judy's siblings awed, while the Leo and Peter high pawed. Their plan worked perfectly.

The two wedding parties separated the groom and bride as they should be. Judy stayed home with her family while Nick spent the night at leo's house. Judy's prewedding jetties along with her condition made sleeping alone in the bed hard. However after a declaration of determination and a little prayer the bunny with a fox bun in the oven laid down and fell asleep.

Nick however couldn't relax. Since being poisoned with nighthowler all those months back, the other foxes in his head would come out to "help" when something bothered him. His mind couldn't slow down or rest with four trains of thought to run down their tracks after all. That was his price for power.

Slick leaned on the wall by the window of the pitch black room. He was the spitting image of Nick when he was about 20. Fit with a smirk to charm the pants off anyone. Red silk shirt, gold chain, and some perfect blue jeans for his frame. A false cigarette burned in his jaws as he watched his real self sitting up in the bed. The real Nick only wore a pair of green and blue plaid boxers, only because he was in someone else's home.

"Why is this so scary" Nick mumbled and kicked the sheets off and dangled his paws off the lion-sized bed, "I've had adventures more fitting for comic books than real life, but this is what keeps me up at night."

Robin the disciplined scout with a police badge climbed up next to Nick and sat there. The bed dwarfed the full-grown fox, but the kit of about nine looked like an ant on it, "that was scary too at times." the kit shrugged, "I mean we could have died."

"Fighting, death scary," growled Todd the savage version of Nick laid behind the other two foxes. He wore no clothes, just his fur which always seems unkempt despite all his licking and grooming he did. Much like he had just been doing.

Slick snorted, "yea, it was, but this is a major thing." He took a drag of his cigarette, "a major thing we never thought we were going to do." false smoke bellowed from his mouth with each word.

"Must you state the obvious." the real fox grumbled.

Slick chuckled and shrugged in the cloud of smoke, "Cause we all know that's not what we're worried about."

"Offspring frightening." Tod howled.

"Why" Robin cut in before Nick could agree, "We're having a funny box with our pretty bunny."

Nick glared at the unreal kit, "It's not that simple" he hoped down from the bed and looked out the window, "I don't know how a dad should be. Hell, I don't even know how a husband should be. It's not like it is on tv you know."

"So."

The fox growled at the window and turned to the kit that only existed in his head, "so SO! I don't know what I'm doing." He threw up his paws and walked to the attached guest bathroom shoving Slick out of his path as if the vulpine apparition was real. Nick was glad to be on the far side of the house from the lions he was staying with. He didn't want to wake them.

"Have we ever?" came a new voice closer to Nick's own. He looked from the cup he was filling to where Robin had been. Now the scout was a full-grown fox. Strong and stern fitting for a cop. He was clad in dress blues with a polished badge on his chest, "We are the master of making it up."

"He's got the point." Slick said picking himself up.

"Best. yes." Tod added.

Nick shook his head and drank some water then crushed the paper cup, "But I don't even know where to start." He looked back at his other selves, "you already know what I'm thinking."

"We run when tough," Todd growled.

"We didn't run from the feral case." Robin said, "we stayed and fought for Judy."

"We've run from her before," Nick commented as he made his way back to bed.

"She did hurt us." Slick added, "though she was put on the spot by an evil sheep. And then when she came to talk to us she kind of-" The false fox stopping knowing the glares, he was getting from the other three versions of himself, "not the time to recap all that."

"You think," Nick growled.

Robin grabbed Nick's shoulder and turned the real fox toward him, "hey, we know we don't have a good example in our life of how to be a good dad or husband hell even a good male, but we have first paw experience on how to be a bad one, and sometimes that's all you need."

With a sigh, Nick nodded and climbed up into the bed as he said, "yeah, but is it enough?"

"Yep." Robin said once again looking and sounding like a prepubescent kit, "We love Judy and that's all we need."

Nick smiled and chuckled, "Am I really that cheesy." he curled up under the covers expecting a chorus of agreement, but it appeared his mind would finally let him sleep. Nick was alone in the guest bedroom of Leo's house. The fox smiled with his eyes closed as he relaxed.

A few minutes passed before a frown took Nick's smile and his eyes shot open with worry.

(big thanks to AnsemD for Editing and proof reading)


	2. Chapter 2

**Hybrid Conundrum**

 **Chapter 2**

 **New Life New Dreams Old Fears**

Nick stood overlooking the battlefield as the smell of blood and death rose up from below. The fox, clad in thin gray armor and carrying a rifle both unsuited for fighting these bugs, felt no fear as he looked down at the horde of beast. Why should he, he had spirit, his claws and enough ammo to make a difference. He was an invincible citizen and best of all he wasn't alone.

He had the best damn troopers behind him, Wilde's Wrecking Crew formally Bogo's Brawlers, were the best in the in the MMI. He wasn't the only one in command, his partner beside him all the way. The bunny even in armor was half his weight but equal in skill.

Nick smiled at Judy then together the pair looked back at their platoon. As one he and his partner yell, "Come on you mongrels, you want to live forever?" The three dozen mammals yelled back as a snare drum thumped signaling the charge, fast pace rock music thundered around them all in time with the mammals' boots.

They had a job to do. Cut through the bug horde and claim the base they had overrun. Just a typical job for Judy and him. Bullets flew by the pair as they lead the charge, impacting the bugs. Blowing through their angular black and yellow striped bodies, sword like limbs flew off as bullets tore through them. Bugs fell but more took their place.

Still Nick and Judy ran.

They met the bugs with honor and fervor. The two were surrounded in a moment. Scissor jaws that could cut a wolf in half snapped around nothing but air. The fox and bunny fought in perfect harmony. While one reloaded the other covered them. But still the bugs came.

One of the sword like arms cut Nick's weapon in half, just barely missing him, but the fox wasn't scared, "Judy!" he calmly called as he caught the stabbing limbs with his paws. The scissor like jaws came forward but stopped when Judy grabbed its nose as she stood on Nick's shoulder. The bunny stuck her rifle in the bugs maw and blew it away. The viscera missed them as she dropped into Nick's arms.

Nick leaned down and kissed the bunny as the rest of the bugs died around them. After the long kiss Nick and Judy barked more orders and led the rest of the way to the base. Behind the walls of the base the group found nothing.

"Spread out." Judy ordered the mammals under their command. While MMI troopers searched the base for any sign of what happened, Nick and Judy kissed hotly with the driving battle music replaced by triumphant, romantic music playing all around them now.

"Hey, you two should come see this." One of the faceless wolf soldiers called. With a sigh Nick pulled away from Judy's lips and the music changed again. Nick didn't notice the childish nursery melody playing under the heartbeat drums. Nick and Judy followed the wolf into the corrugated steel corridors of the base's walls. After what felt like hours and about a thousand turns still with that music playing the wolf motioned that the thing was around the corner.

Nick and Judy checked that their weapons were loaded and then with a nod jumped around the corner. They were expecting to see some big brain slug or something. Not some little orange puff ball in a diaper.

"What is that?" Nick asked, confused and finally frightened.

"You should know." Judy's voice echoed from the blackness that surrounded Nick, the foreboding nursery rhyme medley continuing, but now frighteningly out of tune. The fox searched around for his partner, his weapon, a way to escape but none were there. His lover's voice giggled blissfully unaware of his fear as she spoke. "We made her and all the rest."

The hybrid kit turned and cooed at the fox but left behind a silver furred kit looking the other way. This more bunny like one turned leaving another kit looking the other way. Each of the hybrids were a different terrifyingly adorable combination of Nick and Judy. "What is this?" Nick said as a wave of kits rolled closer cooing, giggling, crying and screaming. The mass of offspring threatened to crash over the fox.

Nick didn't run.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Nick's eyes shot open. The room was bright with morning sunlight. He sat up breathing heavily in the lion sizes bed, he didn't remember why he was so frightened. "Must have been dreaming." The fox said stretching. Despite how he woke up, he felt well rested. He smiled remembering what today was, even though he couldn't sleep in on this day off he was beaming.

It was his Wedding day.

It was the final sign that he wasn't that scoundrel anymore. He was a cop and a family mammal. The fox looked at himself in the mirror as the shower warmed up. "Today's going to be a good day." He had been looking forward to this day since he had agreed to the informal proposal Judy made in the hospital. Even more so then when he made it official after a month of searching for the right ring. Even if his new fears had soured his mood, he still wanted to go through with this. Maybe it would even fix it, but his dad married his mom too.

Nick shook the thought away and climbed in the shower. While his mind wondered Nick cleaned his body. His brain trust discussed how they thought the day might go. All four hated that they wouldn't get a honeymoon for various reasons, innocent or not, they were all good reasons. However, Nick joked, he had already been on his honeymoon that week and a half after the Anti-Feral task forced had been disbanded. While Robin said everyday with Judy was like their honeymoon.

It was hard to disagree with that.

Once he was clean Nick dried off with a towel then a blow dryer. He gathered up his simple black tux. It was not form fitting, but it was nice and elegant. Crisp white shirt under a black vest and tailed jacket. A red bow tie added some colors. He left the jacket on the hanger as he carried it outside. Leo and his wife gave the fox a ride to his car as the sun worked its way too it's peek.

It wasn't long before Nick pulled in the chapel parking lot. Peter and Clawhauser were waiting there too doll up the sports car for the drive home. Both Fangmeyer and Ben were somehow equally as excited. Almost bouncing in place as they held window paint and cans on strings.

The fox rolled his eyes and smiled, he wasn't the only mammal excited by the day's events. Even if it was a formality to have a wedding, A formality that some mammals thought was making history, a great step forward for equality and acceptance. Others thought it was a sin against god and that mammals should stick to their own kind. Nick and Judy understood both schools of thoughts, but they weren't doing this for others, this was for them.

Well the marriage was for them the wedding was for the family.

Most of Judy's immediate family had come for the wedding. Thanks to the size of bunnies, the church would fit them all with ease, even with the larger guest. Nick's mother was there as was his aunt and her husband, his only living relatives he knew well enough to invite. The remaining guest were cops. All the members of the Anti-feral Task Force, their spouses and some close friends from the station.

And then there was Fru-Fru, her husband and father along with their entourage. Thankfully other than a long stare down between Bogo and Mr. Big nothing happened. Yet.

The two camps on different sides of the law that both worked toward order was like vinegar and baking soda.

Judy was in her dressing room with her bridesmaids, most of the twelve females were her closest sisters, Fru-Fru, the maid of honor, was there as well as Tara the polo and Sonya the pig. They all wore simple silk off white strapless dresses, there was no way Judy could wear virgin white. It just didn't feel right to lie, and the bridesmaids had to match. Their skirts came down to their knees with a hem tip that looked like a large ribbon that wrapped around their legs. Each maid had a bouquet of purple roses to match those of the bride. They finished the outfit with jewelry to complaint their own colors, as well as that of the wedding.

The bride herself stood on a stool so Isara Wilde, Nick's mother, and Bonnie Hopps could finish adjusted the dress for the final time. Like her maids it was strapless and over the weeks she had filled it out more as her belly and other parts swelled from her pregnancy. Isara was pinning a soft purple ribbon around Judy to hide the final and rather obvious adjustments to the top. Her spiral layered skirt looked like a ribbon flowing around her till just above the floor, or would if the bunny was wearing heels, something Bonnie often voiced concerns about. White elbow length gloves and her grandmothers vail, finished out Judy's wedding dress

"I just don't think in your condition you should push it with the heels." Bonnie said again, trying to persuade her daughter not to wear them. She bit off the string she was using to sow the purple ribbon in place.

"Yes mom." Judy replied as Isara exclaimed being done. "I'm only wearing them during the ceremony." the pregnant bunny said with a sigh. "These will make the big kiss look better."

"He could just pick you up." Isara commented.

"No, no it just wouldn't work." Judy said as she picked up her bouquet of purple flowers and looking at herself in the mirror. The older fox nodded, giving in. With a flick of her long ears the old off white vail fell over Judy's face, hiding most of her features as it should.

The happy smile she had faltered when she heard her mother sob. "Mom, I'm hardly your first daughter to be married." Judy said annoyed, she didn't want to start crying either.

Isara had turn away, she felt what Bonnie did, but maybe worse. Nick was her only child after all. Some would think she should have been with her son at this moment, but only those that didn't know Nick. The last thing the fox needed was his mother fussing over him.

"I know, I know." Bonnie said. "But your one of my few that's leaving the family." She smiled as she dried her eyes as best she could without messing up her makeup.

"Mom, no matter what, I'm still your daughter." Judy replied with a smile behind her veil with tears in her eyes.

Bonnie laughed still drying her tears. "Your sisters all said the same thing."

"But they weren't nearly as calm about it." Stu said as he slipped in the room ready to walk Judy down the aisle. The music from the outside was getting close to the march. Judy was about to say something when her father sniffled in a similar way to her mother a moment ago. The whole conversation starting anew.

The chapel hall was loud, with 89 bunnies under the age of 10 with older "siblings" attempting to keep the chaos to a manageable level. The Hopps children were well behaved but they were still children.

Nick stood by the altar, Peter, Ben, Leo and the rest of his groom's mammals behind him. His tail was bushed out with nerves, but he was smiling. He would be happy no matter what. It appeared his fractured mind agreed. His other selves were around but quiet.

Nick took a deep breath; he knew he was about to start seeing the organist was ready to play at any moment. Then he saw something that made him smile more and his tail wag a little bit. Fin had made it. The short fox slipped in through the front door with another tall cream furred fox.

The two foxes slid into a back pew on the groom's side of the chapel. Fin may have been a reminder of his old life, but he was also a sign of change. Side by side the pair had gone through so many 'lives' together and now here comes the biggest change in Nick's life and it would be with a different partner, but thankfully, Fin was not alone ether.

Nick's chest swelled with pride as a single tear of joy rolled down his cheek and fell away as the organ began the classic opening to the wedding march. Slick was beside his real self, wearing the tightest jeans he could, a red t-shirt with a flaming cat's skull and a tiger shark leather jacket covered in pins and buttons with a chain on his shoulder. God, did he really have a fashion sense like that at some point?

The real fox glanced to his left. Robin stood there as tall and pound as a fox could be, his dress blues were crisp and clean. It had taken a week to convince Judy to not have a police wedding, but It wasn't the only thing about her life so why force it into their day. Besides sometimes Nick just needed to have a say in things, however seeing how good he looked like that made him almost regret the decision.

In time with the wedding march, the doors in the back of the chapel opened and the bridal procession started its way down the aisle. Tara and Sonya were the lead of the precession walking in practice time with the music. Nick, however, saw the image of Todd at the front of the line, for once he looked groomed with straight fluffy fur. He sauntered along with his head and tail held high. On his head was a was a woven crown of little purple flowers and bright green vines. A common wedding day adornment from the wild times, or at least Nick had read that once.

As the third set of bridesmaids walked down the aisle, Nick did a quick scan of the room. Everything seemed normal. Older bunnies attempted to keep their younger "siblings" in lines. A few of the guest on the groom's side watched the rowdy bunny kits with varying degrees of interest and opinion, most were more interested in the wedding party. Despite their efforts, the bunnies' several pews were a mass of chaos until, she came out.

Like a bright light at the end of a hall Judy stepped out into the aisle, her vail hiding her face, her arm hooked with her father's and the purple bouquet held over her round belly. In front of the bride the pair of flower girls tossed pedals on her path.

With her heels, Judy was noticeable taller than her dad, but the buck with a couple proud tears in his eyes made do. Judy was nervous but not so much about the wedding, she was more worried about embarrassing herself. Tripping, burping or some other loud gross bodily noise. She had been told it would be understood because she is pregnant, but that wouldn't make it any better.

She looked up at the altar before her and any fear melted away. Waiting for her with a smile on his face, Nick stood proudly by the alter. Judy could tell he was nervous, like she was, by the set of his tail, his hardened shoulders and the hint of a scent only her feral nose picked up. No one knew that at his feet, with her claws gripping his tuxedo pants, sat Ripley, the savage bunny version of Judy. She sleepily leaned her cheek on his leg blinking slowly. At least one side of her could relax. Marian and Sara walked along side Judy and Stu, as nervous as their real counterpart. The music finished as Stu and Judy stood before the stage.

The preacher stood a few steps back from the alter. The Asiatic black bear held his palms together, his eyes closed and nose to the sky. His natural white collar and black coat blended with the clothing of his station nicely. The bear finished his prayer and clear his throat. "Who gives this doe to be wed?"

Stu's voice caught in his throat as he spoke. "As much as I don't want to," he looked at his daughter her smiling face only hinted at through the veil, "I do." Stu slipped Judy's arm from his and held her paw as she stepped up on the small stage. She stood in front of the small table with the alter behind it. Thanks to the bunny's heels Nick could loop his arm around hers and hold her paw with both of his much more easily than normal.

"Dearly beloved." The bear pastor started classically. "We are gathered here today to witness something extraordinary." The bear's soft passionate gaze looked out over the gathering. "Not for any reason other than these two mammals are driven by love."

The bear took a breath and smiled. "These two mammals, Judith Laverne Hopps and Nicholas Piberius Wilde, have long dedicated their lives to protecting this city we all love." He motioned dramatically. "But now they are making an even bigger commitment, in front of every mammal here and god above."

"A commitment to each other." He smiled as he looked at Judy and Nick. "A promise to love and to hold each other. To support one another and become stronger." He motioned for Nick and Judy to pick up the little glasses of sand from the table. Nick held white sand while Judy lifted a glass of dull gray. "Life offers challenged you must overcome, throws distractions in the way." Nick and Judy tilted their glasses and poured their contents into a larger glass. The sand flowed into the glass forming a wavy layer pattern. "These two mammals are strong but together they are stronger." The sand ran out and the bride and groom set the empty glasses down.

"Work, bills, family, friends and many obligations will try to get in the way and it will seem that there is no time in your life for your spouse." The bear picked up a coffee mug from under table where the glass of sand stood. "Just remember, you must always make time for your spouse, you never know what a cup of coffee can do." He poured the contents into the clear glass. The dark blue liquid instantly turned the white sand in a bright blue and the gray sand dark blue. It almost matched the ZPD colors perfectly, just like Judy hoped.

With that out of the way, it was time for the next step. The bear priest lifted his head and called, "Who has the rings?"

Peter stepped forward from the groom's mammals "I do." He produced two simple gold rings one much larger than the other. The priest took them and said a short silent prayer before giving them to the bride and groom.

Nick and Judy stepped close again and hooked their arms once again. The bear smiled as he picked up his holy book, his pleasant gaze fell on Nick. "Do you, Nicholas Wilde take this doe, Judith Hopps as your lawfully wedded wife, from this day forward too love and cherish, for better or worse, till death do you part?"

Nick lifted his head his voice caught in his throat for a moment, but not from fear. As Nick and Judy faced each other, how could he be afraid in this moment. Every thought in his head was about how happy and how proud he was in this moment.

He wasn't a loner scoundrel anymore.

"I do." Nick said with all the conviction he could muster with the proudest smile on his muzzle. Judy held up her paw and Nick easily slipped the ring onto the finger of her left paw. It seemed to glow there nestled among the gray fur.

The preacher brought his gaze to Judy behind her vial. "And do you Judy Hopps, take this tod, as your lawfully wedded husband, from this day forward to honor and support, in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Judy's normally strong voice wavered, not from sadness but tearful joy. It took a little working to get the ring over Nick's paw pad, but it slipped on and held tight to the fox's finger tying him to his lover for all time.

"By the power vested in me, by god above and the city of Zootopia, I pronounce you Husband and Wife." A cheer rose up as the preacher spoke. "You may kiss the bride." With gentle care the fox lifted the veil and draped it over the back of Judy's head.

Judy's cheeks were damp with tears, but thankfully her makeup had not run. The bunny had a big smile, teeth shining white. They sparkled almost as much as her eyes. Nick looked into those eyes as he held her paws. He leaned down to the mammal that changed his life their eyes closed as their lips met. Just like Judy had planned her high heels made the kiss much more picturesque.

The rolling cheer rose to a new high as Nick brought one paw up to cup Judy's cheek. The kiss became two as Nick slide the paw from her cheek to the back of her head and moved other to the small of her back. Judy didn't protest but instead grabbed the lapel of his's tux and pulled herself closer. She tried not to crush the flowers of her bouquet, they survived for the most part.

In their minds the newlywed couple weren't the only pair kissing. Robin now a full-grown cop knelt on one knee holding Sarah's paws, the bunny cop apparition was once again in her dress blues, armed and all. She had a paw over his, the gold ring shining as they kissed sweetly.

Marin the farm bunny wasn't the type to wear heels, so she jumped up and threw her arms around Slick's neck and pulled him into a kiss. The young con fox held the pregnant farmer up by the firm rump his of fellow apparition. Like his real self, Slick was a butt fox. Unlike Nick he could indulge in his favorite body part to his false hearts content. An advantage of being in the head of another being.

The shared delusion of the newlyweds was not always as they expected. Cause nether would have thought Todd to just stand as tall as he could on all fours his tail wagging as he looked down, while Ripley was low on all fours looking up. The only thing either of them wore was the crown of little flowers. Their noses touched as their smiling eyes gazed into each other's. Todd lick the little pink nose of the plump bunny before Ripley returned the lick.

Nick pulled away from Judy's lips, and they both smiled proudly at the wedding party as the priest announced. "I present you Nicholas and Judy Wilde." Arm in arm, Nick and Judy trotted down the aisle, the cheers growing ever louder from the predominantly bunny guests. As they exited the chapel, with the groom's mammals and bridesmaids in tow, Nick commented. "I thought there would be more gun shots."

With a giggle Judy slapped Nick's belly, "Farmers not hillbillies." Truth be told, the bunny did have a few relatives that just might, and shotgun weddings were not unheard of.

While the newlyweds, bridesmaids and groom's mammals were off getting pictures taken the rest of the guest filed into a reception hall. The band started to play music to keep the mood relaxed as the guest milled about waiting. Mr. Big sat in his favorite chair on the table where he had been placed. His only present guard stepping up to the table. "Your drink will be here shortly, Mister Big."

Before the shrew could thank his faithful bodyguard, a young bunny boy asked. "Why does he call you that?"

The massive eyebrow of the shrew lifted slightly as he looked at the bunny. The little gray blue-eyed bunny could have been Judy's brother or nephew, though it was all the same in a farm bunny family. "Because, it is my name, sweet child." Mister Big replied fatherly.

"But you're so small. Even smaller than me." The bunny said innocently. "My last name is Hopps and well, bunnies hop, sometimes, not all the time, but some the time." He spoke with the rushed excitement of youth.

When the bunny paused to take a breath, Mr. Big began to reply but was once again cut off by Bogo. "It's not him that's big, but his business."

"Oh, so you like, run a big business?"

"Something like that child." The Shrew answered with a smile.

"Cool, what kind of business?" The bunny asked.

Seeing the boy about to go off on another tangent probably about his father being a farmer Bogo cut in with a light jab. "Well, he's got his little paws in everything."

"Oh really?"

"Yes my child." Mister big answered. "Why don't you go off and play rather than talking with two boring old fools." As if on cue, a little tan paw reached out from under the table and slapped the boy on the knee with a call of him being it. The bunny boy dashed off proclaiming he would get his sibling back.

Chief Bogo and Mr. Big's eyes met, the tension in the air was thick enough to chew on. "Must we do this here?" Mister Big ask motioned with a paw. The polar bear guard grew tense despite the calm nature of his boss.

The buffalo snorted, he knew both the mammals were criminals. The little shrew had done things, that were pretty bad to plenty of innocent mammals back in the day. However now anything that could be connected to the Big family was either internal or against other criminals. The classic protection racket from the family wasn't truly a con, the police can only be in so many places and all large cities have a gang problem.

While Bogo and many cops would love to arrest the whole family, they knew Mr. Big kept order in the underworld and doing so would cause more trouble than it would solve. Besides every so often a call would come in detailing a crime complete with suspect and where to find them. The tip almost always led to an arrest.

"No, no this day isn't about us." Bogo finally replied.

The singer called out, "Okay everyone put your paws together for Mister and Mistress Wilde." a cheer rose up as the door opened and Nick and Judy walked in. Judy had removed her veil and heels for comfort. Her makeup had been touched up before the pictures, so the adornments were pristine. She gripped her husband's paw as they walked into the reception hall. Both smiled wide, and for once there wasn't a hint of sarcasm on Nick's face.

The now combined family clapped and cheered for the couple of the hour and the rest of the wedding party entered the hall. The music started up with a short pick slide on the electric guitar before falling to a slow dance song from Judy's youth. "Now y'all know the lady of the hour shouldn't really be pushing herself, so let's get this dance going." The song picked up slightly, "Now clear the floor and give her space."

Nick smiled down at his bride as he took her right paw in his left, then scooped his short pregnant love's arms. His strong paw supported the bunny's rump as she reached around behind him. The fox swayed back and forth in a slow waltz, holding Judy so she did not have too dance much less deal with her belly being almost level with his legs. The bunny giggled as she put her chin on Nick's shoulder.

"Sly move Mister Wilde." Judy whispered.

"Anything for Misses Wilde." Nick replied with a smile. The pair 'danced' in happy quiet for most of the song, during the final faster paced Nick spun happily for a moment. Long enough for fun but not to be too dizzy. Then, while the song started to wind down, Judy leaned back and smiled at Nick. she closed her eyes and kissed him. It was a deep loving kiss filled with lust as much love, while the eagle-eyed wolf guitarist jumped up a key on his guitar to emphasize the moment.

The pair whispered three special words to each other once their lips parted. Stu cleared his throat to get the couples attention, "I think it's my turn."

Nick reluctantly set Judy down as a more country waltz started. "I just don't want to give her up."

As Stu took his daughters paw, "I know what you mean."

"Y'all know I'm here right." Judy said with a roll of her eyes. The three laughed as Stu took his daughter's paw.

As much as Nick wanted to stay with his new wife he had an old friend he needed to see. Once the song started the red fox trotted over to the tan fennec. Fin leaned on the wall by the exit. His face was neutral, but Nick could tell he was happy and maybe even proud of him. "Glad you could make it, Fin."

"Ahh its nothing." Fin replied, "I had to see if it was true."

"Hard to believe huh?" Fin laughed.

"Nah, you've always been a bit of pansy." He pushed away from the wall and held up his paw. "I got to get Sasha back to work."

"I really appreciate you coming, Fin." Nick said as he took the shorter fox's paw.

Without warning the surprising strong fennec pulled Nick lower and jumped up. He hugged Nick's neck and whispered to him. "I proud of you, brother."

The embrace was over a breath after the words left Fin's muzzle, "Okay. I'm out, Chow." Flicked his sunglasses out and put them on. As the fennec got to the exit door he paused. "Call me when the kits born." He opened the door and joined the creamy white fox outside.

"Will do." Nick replied, fear in his eyes again as he stared at the exit door.

0o0o0o0

Stu held his daughters upper back while she had a paw on his shoulder. "So, any words of advice for your daughter?" Judy ask as she and her father swayed to the music. They didn't move much as they danced.

Stu sniffled shaking his head. "None that you would listen too." He chuckled. "Don't think you every really listened."

"More than you think." Judy said with a giggle to hide that she was about to cry as well. "And now we'll be calling with lots of questions."

"What about Nick's mom?" Stu asked.

Judy giggled as she replied. "Oh we'll be calling her all the time to." she giggled and leaned her head on Stu's shoulder. As the song closed to its she whispered, "I hope I made you proud, daddy."

"Yes you have, Judy." Stu whispered back trying not to cry. "Very, very proud. You did something no bunny has ever done several times over." They finished out the song in a gentle hug.

The pregnant bride pulled away from her father smiling as she wiped away a tear. The slow dance music was replaced by a classic hoedown. "I don't mean to butt into this tender moment, but this is our song." Bonnie said as she held her paw to Stu.

Stu's ears lifted as he listened. "Oh! So, it is." Judy watched Stu's eyes sparkle when he took his wife's paw and danced their way into the group of dancers. Judy turned as she felt a presence beside her. Nick smiled at her, that same sparkle in his eyes. Behind the loving gleam there was that glow of feral power, Nick saw the same in Judy's eyes.

While others would be frightened by staring into a beast eyes like theirs, for Nick and Judy it was all just a part of the mammal they loved. Judy did a slight hop into Nick's arms. He gently caught her and hugged the plump rabbit. The pair slipped from the dance floor to rest at a table. It also gave the many guest a chance to congratulate the couple.

When it was Bogo and his wife's turn the female cape-buffalo gave the pair heartfelt well wishes and a hug. The size differences made it almost comical. Bogo himself wasn't exactly the hugging type but he made it a habit to offer one to his officers at their weddings, if he was invited. Judy happily took it while Nick just shook his chief's hoof. "So, now I guess when I yell for Wilde no one will know who I mean anymore?" The buffalo attempted to joke.

"Yep." Nick chuckled. "We're both troublemakers anyway, so you'll probably be right."

"Well I'm still going to be Officer Hopps." Judy corrected. "It's a work name of sorts."

"Yeah." Nick smirked. "There's that too." That wasn't a surprise, but there was one on its way.

After a short laugh the pair of buffalo moved on making room for others. The meal was served shortly after. A variety of salads for the herbivores and a selection of either fish or chicken for the predators. The food was good even if the mammals congratulating Nick and Judy never stopped.

Ben came by with his plate of chicken, beside him was a cute thin female cheetah. She was the exact opposite of Clawhauser, build wise. The black dress she wore was form fitting and made her yellow and white coat stand out even more. She smiled as sweet as can be as Ben congratulated Nick and Judy for the third time that night. "I just can't say it enough, that I am so happy for both of you."

"Thank you again, Ben." Nick said while Judy giggled. "And who might this be?" The fox asked looking at the female feline. Both he and Judy thought it was Benjamin's sister the few times they had seen her earlier.

"Oh, my where are my manners." The plump cheetah smiled as he gestures to his date. "This lovely kitty is, Amy."

"Hi, Ben, has told me so much about both of you." Amy said stepping daintily forward to shake the heroes of her city's paw.

Nick greeted the feline politely while Judy felt her instincts rise up. However, before the feral bunny's mind could label this innocent female as a no-good rival, Judy forced herself to smile and asked. "So how do you know our little, Clawhauser?"

"Well we've been keeping it quite till now but I'm his girlfriend." Amy explained excitedly. Ben just about squealed as he bounced in place, Amy giggle and blushed under her fur as she squealed as well, her paws up to cover her muzzle.

Both Nick and Judy's muzzles hung open. It took a moment for them to recover for the shock. It did however erase Judy feral need to chase off this, rival or mark her mate. "Well it's good to meet you Amy." She finally said.

"Yeah and you better be taking good care of our little Benji." Nick commented.

"Oh, I am, I swear." Amy giggled. "That goes double for both of you."

The pair agreed as Fru-Fru was set on a stool on the stage. "Alright everyone how you all doing." She giggled as she walked around the stool. "I hope you're having a good time celebrating Judy and Nick's special day." She giggled and continued. "When I first met Judy almost two years ago I knew this bunny was special and it wasn't just because she was saving my life." Her tiny eyes sparkled as she looked at her friend. "Then like two days later she broke a massive case, then another and another. She was on a roll. It's why she's my daughter's godmother."

A gentle clap rolled through the room as Fru-Fru continue. "But she didn't do it alone. She had a charming rogue beside her every step of the way. Now I've known Nick casually much longer then Judy and well I can tell you the fox he was then can't hold a candle to the fox he is now."

The shrew's voice became serious as she continued. "It's not just that Judy made him better. She pushed him to be better and then he pushed right back." Fru-Fru's voice caught in her throat as she showed off her diamond encrusted wedding ring, she looked at her tiny husband back at their table. "And that's what this whole thing is all about, making you both better mammals." She shook as her emotions came up. "Show us what it means to be a better mammal."

The wedding party clapped as Fru-Fru left the stage and Peter stepped up. He plucked the mic off the stand and set his drink down. "Oh, um, I'm supposed to," be tap his claws of his glass making a ringing sound, "there we go." The audience laughed lightly.

Peter smiled and looked out at the gathering. "You know she's right, oh so right." He paced a little nervously. "Not that I know much about marriage and all." He smirked at Jessie the leopard he was dating, as another soft laugh came from the crowd of mammals. "But I really can't put it much better. Really, I can't. I could stand up here and make a bunch of jokes but that wouldn't just be right."

The white wolf stood firm. "Some of you know back when I first found out about Nick and Judy being together… Well, let's just say I wasn't a fan." He smiled at the doe and fox of the hour, before looking around again to speak. "But the more I saw them together. The more they pushed each other to be better, like Fru-Fru put it." He paused and looked at the pair again. "Saw what they sacrificed for others and for each other."

Peter choked and looked at the ground. "Don't stop." He looked back at the couple. "Don't stop pushing, don't stop. Cause from everything I've seen there isn't nothing you can't overcome, when you're with the right mammal. Nick, Judy you found the right mammal." He lifted his glass and called. "Let's hear it for the happy couple." The crowd cheer whistled and called bride and groom names.

As the white wolf returned to his seat he paw bumped Nick and Judy, bonds formed in trying times don't break. The planer retook his microphone. The red panda smiled. "So touching, and oh so true. But I'm craving cake and I've seen plenty of you mammals eyeing it." He motioned too Judy and Nick. "Can I get the three guests of honor up here."

Judy laughed as she slipped less then daintily from her seat. Nick hid his less than enthused feelings behind his smile. He held Judy's paw as they worked their way through the tables. The couple approached the three-tiered cake with smiles. The smooth dark blue icing had soft blue flower accents looked just about perfect. On top was a wax depiction of a ZPD badge featuring both Nick and Judy's badge number.

The bride picked up the knife and whispered. "Don't do it."

"Wouldn't think of it." Nick replied as he wrapped his paw around hers. They cut a couple of slices. Cameras flashed the whole time, then more as they served themselves. Nick pulled a bite from his slice and smiled. Stifled laughter rolled through the wedding party making Judy sigh. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. Her paw hovered over her slice of cake ready to slap Nick with it if he pulled anything.

Nick however knew better, he just smiled and stuck the mouth full in her maw. The moist cake, and creamy icing smeared across Judy's cheeks. The rabbit looked like a chipmunk with her cheeks puffed out as she chewed. He always overestimated her mouth. With a chuckle Nick taped her little pink nose leaving spot of icing to complete the mess.

Judy rolled her eyes and with more cameras watching she pull off a tiny bite of cake. She swallowed her mouth full and jumped up, Nick caught her, and she stuffed the little bite in his maw. He chuckled and held Judy for a moment before kissing her sweet lips. After wiping off her paws and face Judy lead Nick back to the table. Their slices didn't make it far. Which was probably for the best, because the wedding planner called them over to a backed barstool. Meanwhile Fru-Fru took the stage again and announced it was time for the garter toss.

The couple waited a few moments for the males to gather. Benjamin called for them to wait as he scarfed down his cake, after which he took his place in the group of unmarried males. Judy sat cradling her belly as Nick stood nearby. Fru-Fru was hyping up the crowd with the possibility of whoever catches the garter will be the next to marry.

Finally, Nick slipped down to one knee and smirk as he lifted his brides skirt. His paws slipped up her caves then thigh. Judy couldn't see him with the dress over his head, but she heard him chuckle. "What?" the Bunny questioned worried what he might be thinking.

"Was expect to see carrots under here." Nick joked.

Judy's ears turned red as she giggled. "Shut up." She retorted as the fox pulled the garter off her thigh. Nick emerged from under his bride's skirt with a triumphant bark. The other males barked and howled as the fox stood and spun the garter around his finger. Judy had to look away, embarrassed as Nick launched the blue and white lacy elastic band through the air.

The garter was arching through the air heading straight for Clawhauser. The cheetah could not be happier until just as the garment got in reach a black and white bunny jumped into the air and snatched the garter. Benjamin's face fell as he looked down at the bunny. There was little way to tell if the cheering bunny was related to the bride or not. It didn't matter anyway Benjamin was too busy pouting to figure it out or care what Fru-Fru was saying.

Amy rubbed her date's shoulders and kissed his plump cheek. She wanted to stay with him, but the bouquet toss was any moment. She hopped up and joined the group of females. Nick retrieved the flowers for Judy while she gingerly climbed down. With the bouquet in paw she turned around then looked over her shoulder at the lineup of eager girls. The bunny smiled at Nick and tossed the flowers over her head.

The feral strength on her arms sent the flowers sailing through the air. Many bunny doe's jumped trying to claim the prize, but their excited paws only served to bounce the bouquet up again. Even Jessie and Amy's swipes only severed to send the trophy flying farther away.

Benjamin was watching from his table when he saw his moment. With the bouquet free the fat feline pounced. The kerfuffle of girls turned just in time to see Ben standing tall and triumphant. The cheetah wanted to roar but only a giddy chirp escaped his maw. Followed by a giggle as Amy kissed his cheek and hugged him.

"Okay, well that happened." Fru-Fru giggled. "Not what I expected but very cute." She smiled as the triumphant cheetah was photographed. "Okay everyone, while the happy bride and groom are changing could everyone line up outside. You can grab a bag of confetti on your way out." The shrew pretended to be surprised. "Oh, and I heard that someone is giving out bubbles to the little ones." The youth mammals cheered as they were herded toward the exit.

Nick and Judy returned to the brides dressing room, where they collected the clothes Judy wore. They debated if Judy should change but decided that would take too long. So, with the cloths in the bag with Judy's make up and heels along with Nick's jacket the pair left. Arm and arm the newly wed Wildes headed to the large double doors of the church. Cheers, claps, whistles, confetti and bubble washed over the pair as they descended the steps. It was a moment of pure joy that cameras attempted to capture.

Music played loud and proud as Nick opened the door to his car for Judy. Their eyes met and in a moment of tension, the feral beast leapt at one another. The newly christened Mrs. Wilde wrapped her arms around the back of Mr. Wilde's neck and kissed his muzzle all over. Nick for his part held her and returned the affection where he could.

Cameras flashed as Nick finally set Judy down in her seat. As she buckled in Nick took his own place and the engine of his car rumbled to life. The vehicle rolled away trailing cans with just married painted in the back window. The couple drove in happy silence for a moment before Judy giggled and looked up at Nick. "Someone else is excited to."

The bunny picked up Nick's paw off the gear shift and placed it on her large round belly. He could feel a strong thump inside. His heart skipped a beat, his daughter was alive. He already knew that, but everyday it felt more real. Soon he would meet her. And though that terrified the fox. Soon he would be responsible for a helpless, little, innocent mammal of his own flesh and blood, could he handle the stress? His father certainly couldn't, and he was his father's son.

His eyes widened with worry and his smile fell.

Before the fear could ruin the day for Nick a car behind him at the stoplight honked. The fox jerked his paw away and put his car in drive and drove on. Judy never noticed her husband's worry; the normally perceptive bunny was too busy humming a tune to her belly. Something she had seen her mother and some of her sisters doing. Thankfully dealing with traffic distracted Nick enough. They returned home to a normal night of sci fi movies and delivery food. It may have been their wedding night but in Judy's state they couldn't consummate the marriage. Though they already pretty much had, same with going on their honeymoon. That night they curled up in bed holding paws, their wedding bands glinting together.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The corc charged at Nick, the corded muscles of the reptiles' massive arms tased as it brought the crude axe down catching only the tail of the fox's great coat. Commissar Wilde stuck as he rolled under the croc's clumsy attack, the warring teeth of his chainsword tore through flesh and bone with ease. The horrid alien fell crying out in more confused than anything. The fox stood put his plasma pistol to the back of the beast head and fired.

As the massive croc's head turned to ash Nick smiled and adjusted his high chested hat. The driving music of battle thundered all around Nick as Guard Mammals formed up beside him. Nick surveyed the battlefield. The tanks of the Guard blasted croc machines and artillery vaporized infantry formations. The plan was working perfectly. Colonel Hopps would soon be in position and this war would be over.

However, something didn't feel right.

A burst of static came through Nick's com bead before becoming Judy's voice, "Commissar Nick were moving in."

"Good, Carrots." Nick replied with a smirk, regulations be damned she was his lover, friend and now his wife, let every mammal know how he felt. "How's it look."

With another burst of static formed into Judy words. "Looking good, AHH!"

"What is it?" Nick demanded, "Are you alright?" the red fox in a black great coat asked, "Carrots talk to me."

"It's time Nick."

Nick's eyes went wide, he knew what that meant. The driving music of battle turn frantic as Nick ran to where he knew Judy was. Crocs leapt from the shadows screaming and howling as they cut down the mammals before them. Nick snarled as his shot, chopped and stabbed the reptilian beasts but still they came piling on Nick eventually smothering the Commissar.

Crocs were thrown to the sky as Nick's powerful hot rod burst from the pile of alien flesh. Tires squeaked as the car landed on black top. The black car left red trails of light leading to the tail lights as it darted between other cars. Fire spewed from the tail pipes scorching the road but Nick didn't care as he slide sideways down an exit ramp and into the parking lot of the hospital.

Nick raced inside his ZPD uniform barely standing up to the strain of the feral's muscles propelling him at full sleep. The fox burst through the front door on all fours. He stood and call, "Carrots, where are you?"

He saw nothing but a long-shadowed hallway. "Judy, where are you!?" Still no response. "Anyone there!?" Nick's night vision saw movement in the distance, the fox hurried toward it. "Hey, I'm looking for my wife."

The shadows parted revealing a small gazelle nurse carried something wrap in a pink blanket. The nurse said nothing and laid the bundle in Nick's arms. "What about, Judy?" Nick asked. The nurse walked away and vanished into the shadows. "Wait, does this mean?" The fox's eyes went wide. "Wait no. NO!"

"No!" Nick yelled sitting up. He panted as he looked around the dark bedroom. With a swallow the red fox realized his paw was on Judy's pillow.

Judy's empty pillow.

A coo followed by a baby's cry drew the panting fox's attention to the crib on his side of the bed. Nick shook as he reached out with his left paw. His ring glinted in the light of the moon. He whined at the lonely feeling creeping into his mind.

His baby cried again drawing Nick back to the moment. There was no one else to care for the little one, so he stood and stepped closer to the crib as a shadow extended up above it. Nick stopped and stared stunned by the sight. The voice of his daughter came from the tall shadow, but it was deep and distorted. The hint of a face grew with in the looming threat. A sinister smile with sharp teeth showed itself.

Suddenly, excruciating pain shot through Nick's shoulder.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Judy grunted in the cockpit of her bipedal robot in the rough shape of as missiles exploded against its paw held red tower shield. It was okay the Bundam could take it. It was a tough machine, but this was the toughest battle it would go through, and hopefully the last. Taking this final space base should be the final blow to the rebel Zoono. Judy blasted the enemy machine from her flight path and discarded the hyper bazooka, its magazine depleted.

A buzz twinkle sounded in Judy's mind she turned to see Clawhauser Guncatton jump off the shield of one of those new machines Zoono had rushed into service. The cheetah pilot smashed the wolf like head of the bipedal war machine with his own fist before Ben boosted away firing both shoulder cannons into an approaching formation.

However, that wasn't what her feral senses were telling her about. "It's him." The bunny shaped head of the Bundam turned to look to empty space. A streak of light was the only sign of the approaching danger. The green eyes of Judy's machine flashed and its 'ears' adjusted into combat positions.

The red comet, Judy's rival form since the start of the war raced toward her in some new monstrosity. Its skirt was full of engines instead of having legs. Its arms could detach to fire powerful lasers from every detection. This new beast of a machine was more than a match for anything on the field. The Bundam was a tough prototype with powerful weapons but it was 6 months old, a lifetime in a technological war like this one. However, Judy was a great pilot and a feral with reactions times to the precognitive level, but so was the red comet.

The combatants met in space as a song of love, loss and victory bargain to play. Lasers flew through the void cutting through lesser machines as the bundam and red comet just barely dodged out of the way. Every mistake could be deadly as the rivals blasted each other's unit to near pieces.

The battle covered the several hundred miles to the asteroid turned space station. Along the way Judy's machine's tower shield faltered and the bundam lost its left arm from the same attack.

A moment Judy landed her machine on the asteroid base. She jumped to the side shot a laser beam through the arm of the red comet's machine, then another through the lower abdomen, destroying the machine, or so she thought. The head of the enemy mech detached and blew the Bundam's own head clean off. Even with their mobile suits crippled neither of the rivals were out of the fight.

Using only her navigation radar and the camera of her beam rifle Judy followed the Red Comet into the bowls of the asteroid base, all while the battle raged and music blared around them. Judy growled as she gripped the controls of her mech. "This is so a trap." The feral bunny flipped the keyboard out from behind her seat. Her eyes darted back and forth between her sensors and the commands she was programing in.

With that done Judy opened the cockpit and jumped out into the gravity less vacuum of the tunnel she was in. The ravaged Bundam stomped into a large shaft probably for shipping or mining it didn't really matter now. The angular mech stop, widened its stance and fired straight up as a torrent of energy impacted the prototype. While the Bundams armor boiled away the final attack of the mech struck its target leaving both destroyed.

But the fight isn't over.

Judy's feral eyes saw something jump from shadow to shadow then duck into a corridor. The bunny gave chase. She couldn't see anything about the mammal she was following, but she knew without a doubt it was the Red Comet. She would get that fox if it was the last thing the fit bunny ever did.

The shadow jumped into an open door. The power in the room was still on, judging from the lights. Judy whipped around the corner her pistol up. The room must have been an aristocratic officer's office judging by the deep red walls and rich mahogany furniture. A collection of weapons through the ages lined the walls, plenty of them swords. There examining the weapons was the red comet.

Nickelus Wilde.

"There you are, Dumb Fox." Judy said stepping into the room as the walls shook slightly from the bombardment.

Nick turned around and smiled, "Ah, so we meet again, Sly bunny." Judy hit the button to close the door with her elbow. As she floated across the room Nick continue. "We really must stop meeting like this." While Judy still had her pistol aimed at the fox. Air filled the now sealed room with a hiss as Nick gently tossed a small mammal rapier too Judy.

The thin steel weapon floated gently toward the bunny. She slid her pistol into the hustler. "Must we really." She took up the sword just in time. Nick's backpack jets growled as it launched him forward. Judy grunted with the effort of defeating his sword and was forced to the floor.

The bunny's boots sank into the carpet she activated her own thrusters, but instead of launching herself at the fox she held herself to the floor like she would on earth.

"Must we do this every time?" Judy commented as she easily locked blades with the fox.

Two quick jabs with his blade that Judy easily parried. "Well, I always thought foreplay was appreciated."

Judy struck out with her blade locking it with Nick's and spun it out of the fox's paw. "It is but," the feral bunny tossed her blade away before jumping into her rival and lover's arms, "I've had enough of it."

Nick easily caught the bunny as she pulled her helmet off then his own. The pair kissed as the room shook around them. They shed their space suits as the fight music turned to jazzy rock for the act of lust occurring. A dangerous act but nothing would interrupt it.

In the throes of passion Judy bit Nick's shoulder something that normally drove the feral fox wild, but as the copper taste filled her mouth Nick yelped in pain. With a whine Nick pushed Judy off him.

Judy blinked in the darkness of their bedroom looking up at her husband as he uncurled from around her. The shoulder of his shirt was wet and sticky. The smell of blood filled Judy's wiggling nose as the liquid dripped from her muzzle. "Nick I-I..."

"It's all right, just, ow." Nick said as he climbed out of bed.

"Here let me"

"No, no, I got it, Carrots." Nick said walking to the master bathroom. The wound wasn't the worst he'd ever had but was kind of bad. However, he just needed a moment alone. The new husband and father to be had to process his nightmares.

While Nick stared at himself in the mirror, trying to convince all four of the foxes in his head that he wasn't going to run away from his daughter, Judy looked down at her belly. She cradled her unborn child as a new terror rolled through her mind. She didn't know what she would do to the newborn.

Ferals do have strange and terrible instincts.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hybrid Conundrum**

 **Chapter 3**

 **The Arrival**

Some would say a two day's off from work wasn't enough for a honeymoon, others would say they live a honeymoon life, while others just said they were crazy. But everyone would agree Judy was stubborn beyond belief. Still going to work when her final month was coming up. Something Nick felt he should say something about but that was still a terrifying thought to fox.

However, it appeared he just might have to speak up today. The newlyweds had just clocked out from a Tuesday morning shift. Nick could tell Judy was mad. She walked heavier than normal, even with the extra weight. As he held her paw to 'not' help her down the steps or into the car, he could feel her tension. She hadn't said much at all as Nick started the car. "So, Carrots, how was your shift."

"It's parking duty, Nick, it sucked." The bunny said, obviously upset.

Nick's ears fell back as he pulled onto the street. "Did something happen?" He was sure it was the hormones.

"Yeah." Judy said barely above a mumble. "Well no." Nick looked over at Judy with his ears up. The bunny sighed before continuing. "I gave a guy a ticket and he started the whole 'I pay your salary' thing but when I turned around to talk to him he froze up, stammered out an apology." Judy growled. "He was just about to leave when Higgins pulled up." She threw her paws up in frustration. "Made me feel like nothing. Like everyone thinks I'm a delicate little flower, just because I'm pregnant."

"Well." Nick paused as Judy turned her vicious gaze to him. "Maybe it's time you started your leave."

"Why, cause I'm a delicate little bun with one in the oven?"

"No, Carrots, I'm not saying that." Nick replied, his fur stood up. With his normal self control focused on his panic about being a father, Nick began to grow angry. "It's just... Think about it. You come home sore, annoyed and can barely relax enough to sleep. Its not healthy."

"I'll decide what's good for me and my baby." The bunny looked away.

"Judy look at me." Nick ordered, surprising the bunny. "You need to listen, nobody would think less of you for putting _our_ baby first. In mean, hell, nobody expects you to be at work any more." Being how he was driving Nick couldn't keep his angry gaze on Judy. "Seriously, Bogo's confused every time you're there in the morning."

"So what!" Judy shot back. "I don't care!" She said without thinking.

"Well you should care." Nick said in a low growl. "At least about my opinion."

A petulant question of why caught Judy's throat as her belly tightened painfully. She hissed, doubling over and digging her claws into the arm rest. Nick pulled over turning on his flashers as he reached for his wife, anger now abandoned. Judy looked up her face full of fear. "Hospital!" The fox declared more than asked, pulling back on the road without the answer.

"Yeah." Judy finally spoke as he turned toward the hospital. She was hurting and frightened, but Nick was terrified he wasn't ready, he wasn't sure he ever would be.

The wait at the front desk may have been less than a minute but felt excruciatingly long. Judy had to ride out several more contractions although these weren't as bad as the first. She still squeaked with each. However, of course, the moment Judy got to examine table they had stopped.

The on-call doctor examined her. Much to the relief of Nick, Judy wasn't in labor. The doc said everything was alright. "So, what was it?" Judy asked as she sat paw in paw with Nick, a little embarrassed to be naked from the waist down.

"Well, they were just pre-labor contractions." The female wolf doctor answered. "They can happen with some females for much of their pregnancy, others just near the end. Sometimes they can be caused by stress."

"Stress you say." Judy said looking away.

"If you like I can call in your primary care physician, he knows more about your unique condition."

"No, no." Both Nick and Judy said together. "No need to bother him."

"Okay. Well I don't feel the need to medicate, this close to your due date, I would say just take it easy." The wolf smiled politely and stood. "Well you two have a good day, your discharge papers should be waiting for you at the front desk." After being thanked the wolf left. The bunny dressed, and the pair left.

"Next month." Judy said out of the blue on the quiet ride home. Nick looked over at her as he drove the car, a confused hum leaving his throat. "I'll start my leave next month, so that's about a week and a half away. I'll lose my mind if I'm home alone doing nothing for much longer than that." Judy looked up at Nick.

Nick didn't say anything for a short moment. Then at a stop light he smiled and reached over. His large paw took Judy's smaller one, he held it for a moment then slide his under hers and looked at it. Still silent he lifted her paw and leaned down to kiss her ring then her paw several times. After settling back in his seat, he said. "Friday." As the light turned green and he drove on again.

"What?"

"It's always best to start a vacation on a Friday." Nick smiled as he shifted gears Judy's paw laying over his the whole time. "I would say office work only but well."

"I'd go insane faster." Judy giggled.

Nick nodded and turned into their neighborhood. "Well, I was going to say, 'you'd bite my head off' but you got it right."

Judy smiled. "You better bring your reports home, so I can double check them." She watched as her husband drove slowly through the streets where in a short time their child will play.

"I was going to have you write them for me." Nick smiled, thinking only of this moment.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Nick chuckled. "Have a nice trip." The fox in only a loincloth and small harness covering his chest, gave his sword quick flick. The power sword flew low catching the charging crocodile-beast in the legs. Comically tripping it so that the beast stopped at the hooves of Bogo, the fox's mighty steed. The magical weapon spun and returned to its master's paw all while the jaunty triumphant music played.

Bogo snorted and stomped on the beast snout. The crocodile whines jumping to its rear legs holding its nose. The beast turned and scurried away. "Thank you, Bogo." Nick said as he sat on the shoulders of the buffalo.

"Skeletor is getting away." Bogo snorted as the blue bobcat with a skeletal head scurried into the foggy woods swearing he would get them next time. Nick shook his head wondering aloud why they always say that.

After knocked the Hare mage villain over, the mighty bunny Judy laughed. "You'll never get away." She promised as she chased after the villainous leader.

"Wait for me, lover." Nick called as he hopped off Bogo's back.

The gray bunny laughed as she ran backwards looking at Nick. "Well keep up big guy." She jumped and spun in the air before disappearing into the fog of the woods.

Nick ran after her, the fog thick and ground wet. After what seemed like hours the fox stopped. "Judy?" He called to the white soup. Unsettling music droning on in place of what had been there before. Nick called again as he began his search anew, unsure what he was looking for.

Claws clicked on concrete as officer Wild rounded the corner of the building, the fog so thick he couldn't see the next. The fox swore he could see movement just inside the white haze. His badge shining bright he gripped his side arm tighter.

"What am I doing?" Nick asked himself.

A young child's laugh echoed around him just before he turned another corner and saw it. A young kit sat in an alley way with its long fluffy tail wagging and its floppy ears looking adorable. "Hey kid-." Before he could finish, from the fog came a large furless beast in a towel and massive metal head. Nick threw himself in the path of the monster as it lifted its large metal weapon.

Nick's eyes shot open as he jolted awake, shaking the bed slightly. Judy snorted and mumbled before settling down turning her head the other way. The red fox sighed and snuggled closer to her but avoided her belly and the source of the ever-present nightmares.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Nick's arms flexed as he slowly lowered himself to the floor then agonizingly pushed himself back up all while keeping his eyes focused on the wall. Early morning workouts kept Nick's feral blood in check and his body healthy. He only wore some jersey shorts and the fur he was born with. Judy laid on his back her arms behind her head. She wore barely enough to be considered clothed. The pregnant bunny could feel the fox's body flexing powerfully under her.

"You know this was easier when you were under me." Nick said as he stopped with his chest just barely an inch from touching the carpet.

"Workouts are not supposed to be easy." Judy replied uncrossing and switching her legs. "Plus, it's not like I fit under you right now."

"Yeah but I could kiss you from time to time."

With a giggle Judy whispered. "Not just kiss."

"I heard that." Nick snickered.

"I know."

"As much as I would love too, we need to get dressed." Nick said pulling his legs under him.

"What for?" Judy asked as she slipped off the fox's back, she stood with a groan. The pregnant gray rabbit wasn't suffering the worst affects her current state could cause but she was still stiff almost all the time. Her recent inactivity wasn't helping. Judy wiggled her tail as she pulled on a pair of black leggings then a loose pale pink shirt over her head. The fluttering fabric settling over her belly nicely.

Nick slipped on his favorite pair of khakis and a green floral shirt. "Need to run some errands." The fox answered with a smirk. "Maybe stop by the precinct to say 'hi'. I think you're getting a bit of cabin fever, Carrots." He hung a red and blue tie loosely around his neck and flipped his collar down.

"You know it." Judy giggled spritzing some light perfume on her neck. "How many times have I had to rearrange the house?"

"Bout nine." Nick answered checking his breath and teeth before spraying some body spray on. Judy made a face like she was going to puke, something she had done a few times, but this time was all an act.

The pair locked the house, Nick joked about Judy building a den of pillows again if he had left her alone. Her fake laugh became a real laugh as they climbed into the car. Nick started it and pulled out of the driveway. They tossed loving ribbings at one another the whole way.

The drive to the station was longer with the different traffic patterns this late in the morning. However, the couple was not in a hurry, it just meant more time to laugh together. Eventually Nick pulled into the visitor parking lot. They waved at a few passing officers as the pair got out of the car.

More waves and friendly greetings were exchanged with the few more officers that crossed their paths outside. Once Nick and Judy walked through the front door they were met with a loud squeal. Both Nick and Judy's ears turn back flat against their heads from the inexplicably loud sound from Benjamin Clawhauser. The cheetah was smiling brightly as he almost climbed over his desk. After nearly knocking his Gazelle snow globe to the floor he plopped back into his office chair. He then scampered over to the little gate to his little area and just about rolled over it in his hast.

The cheetah lumbered over to his friends, giggling the whole way. Nick stepped in front of Judy and stopped their excited friend with a gentle paw to the chest. on Judy's last day Ben almost crushed her with a hug, "sorry." Ben chuckled as the Wildes greeted their plump friend. Judy gave him a nice hug, "it just feels like I haven't seen you two together in so long."

"I know the feeling." Judy replied.

Benjamin nodded. "Well I'll be on break in a few if you two are going to be hanging around for a little while?"

"We're not in any kind of hurry." Nick said as Judy retook his paw and they smiled. While the cheetah returns to his desk to answer the radio the couple made their way upstairs.

Chief Bogo was at his desk reviewing paperwork with a Gazelle song playing quietly on his radio. With the cat out of the bag so to speak he had stopped hiding his love for pop music. However, when a knock came from the door he still killed the music before gruffly answering. "Come in."

The door opened revealing a smirking Nick Wilde and plump Judy Wilde. "Hey chief." Both greeted the cap buffalo.

"Knew you couldn't stay away." The stoic mask cracked slightly at the edge of his muzzle. He stood and turned one of the guest chairs and offered a hoof to help her into the oversized furniture.

"Oh no." Judy giggled with a wave. "We know your busy, we weren't going to stay long."

"Sit." The gruff voice of the captain shook both smaller mammals. Judy compiled as both the males helped her up, she couldn't deny she needed it anymore. "If you think I'm going to pass up the chance to say hello to the little one, you're crazy."

"Well we kind of are." Judy giggled. Bogo grunted as he took a knee. Judy had grown used to mammals talking to her belly, but it was odd to have her chief doing it.

"Hey there little one." Bogo said in a gruffly sweet voice. "Every time I get to this point I don't know what to say." He chuckled thinking about the dozens of times he had done this, it happened with his own calves too.

"Um you can feel her, I guess?" Judy offered while Nick pulled out his phone. Chief Bogo nodded and gently lifted his hoof.

With his hoof barely, a hair away buffalo noticed Nick's phone. "No" Bogo ordered.

"Come on chief, it's just us." The fox pleaded with his eyes wide and ears low in the classic begging posture.

Bogo looked up at Judy to ask her to get him to stop. The cap buffalo's heart skipped a beat. Judy's eyes shook as they watered slightly, her ears hanging low as she pushed out her bottom lip. A glance back at the fox and he was matching her expression. With a snort that ruffled Judy's shirt. "Just don't give it to everyone."

"Only our closest thousand friends." Nick replied while Judy giggled.

Juniper kicked inside Judy's belly making Bogo comment. "She's going to be a paw full."

Nick's eyes twitched while Judy said. "Karmic payback." She winked at Bogo who nodded.

A few minutes later Judy sat on the counter in the break room with several officers and even a few lab techs that she knew fawning over her belly. Clawhauser was hogging it saying he had to talk to his goddaughter.

Nick stood a little way away watching as Judy squeaked when Clawhauser nuzzled her belly. Nick would deal with that later, right now Leo was asking him questions. "Still nervous?"

"Me? Nah."

"Liar." Peter said pushing Nick's shoulder.

Nick smirked as he refused to move at the shove. "Too many mammals can see through me now. Have to start getting rid of them." The three had a quick laugh together.

"You know brothers in blue and all." Peter added.

"I see. It more like a pack, for reasons that will remain unsaid." The feral added. He sighed as the two other males implored him to answer the question. "Still scared out of my mind but not much I can do now." He spoke quietly so not to be heard by too many, Leo and Peter nodded quietly as the three males watched over the bunny.

After a moment of watching the happy little group, Nick asked. "Did you have nightmares?"

"A few." Leo said looking at the fox. "Why?"

"No reason." Nick said looking away from his wife and sighed. "Got to be the big bad fox again." He pushed off the wall and mumbled. "Nothing gets to you, you'll never run away again." After a breath, Nick wore a smirking mask that only those close to him could see through.

Judy saw through it the moment the fox called out it was time to go. Much to the sorrow of the group. "You sure?" the bunny asked. Her husband slipped close and rubbed her legs then hips as he leaned down to kiss her. When their lips parted Judy whispered. "Everything okay?"

"Always." Nick lied almost well enough.

"Later then." Judy whispered as he helped her off the counter. They said their goodbyes hugs and paw shakes all around. The pair headed out to the car smiling, paw in paw until they were back in the car and Judy finally asked. "What's eating your tail?"

"Nothing."

"Nick." Judy scolded.

"Remember how I said my dad left when I was a kit?" The vulpine asked as he pulled onto the main road.

Judy nodded. "Yeah, what about it?"

"I don't know how to be a dad, Carrots." Nick said, looking over at Judy he could see she knew he was leaving something out. "I'm scared." He turned away. "I want to be with you, I want to be a good dad but… I don't know if I'll be just like mine."

"And leave?" Judy asked, Nick nodded. "Nick you're not your father and you're not going anywhere." Judy smirked. "I wouldn't let you, Dumb fox." Before Nick could say anything, Judy continued. "I know your scared, Nick, I am too. We have no idea what's really going to come out of me or if I..." She paused for a moment not wanting to think about that train of thought. Dying in childbirth was the last thing either of them needed to think about. "I'm afraid of what I might do, she might do or what others might do."

The bunny took a steadying breath. "But you know what, who cares. We can do this just like we do everything else." Judy squeezed Nick's paw. "Together." That smile of hers beamed so full of hope, joy and love it could banish any shadow.

For a time.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Nightmares stranger then the last came each night. Nick never really understood what they meant. Not that he could remember much of them anyway. A child, his child was always involved somehow. If it was attacking or something else, he never knew. Thankfully the fox's feral nature kept the effects from the lack of sleep at bay.

But even monsters have limits.

However, just three days after the visit to the station while Nick and Peter were stopped at a little bistro for some coffee Nick's phone rang, he stepped away from the counter letting Peter cover the cost of the drinks. "I see how it is partner." Peter chuckled as he looked up at the moose cashier. "Something comes up every time it's his turn to pay."

A quick card swipe and a thank you later Peter turned to Nick who was as stiff as a board, ears up and tail straight out. Before Peter could question it, Nick spoke. "It's Judy it's, she's..."

"What are you waiting for, go." Peter replied, the swift fox left him standing there hold both cups too which Peter said. "Could've taken your coffee with you."

Nick tried to drive calmly as he raced home. It wasn't long before radio was bursting with Ben's voice. "Oh, my goodness, Nick, congrats and good luck." A flood of well wishes and congratulations followed that the expecting father didn't want to hear.

"Peter must have called him." Nick growled as he deactivated the radio, now listening to only the engine, his racing heart and the worries of his other selves. The fox's eyes were wide as he turned into his neighborhood. This was it. He wasn't ready, he knew it. He was terrified. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. His dad was a conmammal, so was Nick. That's what his dreams told him. They were a part of his, mind telling him he should run.

He drove past his home.

The cruisers tires squealed as he stopped Nick stopped the car then threw the car in reverse to back into the driveway. That put the passenger side closer to the front door. Nick slammed open the car door knocking slick over, the side that wanted to leave. Running past the fallen con fox Nick, Robin and Todd hurried through the front door. He wasn't only his father's son; his mother never ran.

Nick was going to ask if Judy was sure, like he had on the phone, but his nose told him the answer. The bunny was at the kitchen table wearing loose light blue t-shirt dress and not much more. A to-go bag sat beside her ready with everything she may need for the next few days. She shook a little and whined as a contraction ran through her. "Judy." Nick called to her.

"Just a sec." The bunny grunted out, a few tears in her eyes. A moment later she looked at Nick and smiled. "Calm down, I'm fine. It's going to be fine." She said as much to herself as to him.

Nick scooped up the bag and Judy, carrying both out to the car. He felt her tremble in his arms, she was scared to and probably hurting. Nick had to be brave for her, pushing down his fear the fox helps his wife strap in, then held her paw as she rode out another contraction. Judy did all the breathing exercises she had practiced. It helped but her whines slowly becoming growls as the feral side of the bunny started coming out.

"Kind of regret not inducing in the hospital." Judy commented through clenched teeth once Nick was in the driver's seat.

"You said your family believed that nature knows when it's time or whatever." Nick replied looking over at her as he drove away from the house.

"Yep." Judy grunt-growled through another contraction. "My family also didn't think a bunny should be a cop, so maybe they don't know their ass from a hole in the ground." Pained laughter came from Judy making Nick chuckle nervously.

The hospital they had picked was close. Judy had already called it so they were ready for them when they pulled up. Two nurses she knew waited with a wheelchair just her size. Judy would have greeted the bunny and deer by name if she wasn't clenching her teeth. Nick set Judy in the chair. The deer pushed Judy along while the bunny asked her questions. A third nurse hopped along beside that Judy didn't know. She was a small fluffy rodent known as a chinchilla.

The doctor, almost to Nick and Judy's displeasure, was waiting in the room for them. However, he had everything ready, which was a relief. Notes, machines, and even a NICU was setup, just in case.

"Hello, Judy, how are you feeling?" He asked as the nurses helped the bunny undress.

"Like I'm trying to poop a bowling ball."

Doctor Wallace sighed as he turned on the ultrasound machine. "I told you that you should have had a c-section weeks ago." He mumbled something else under his breath as the machine warmed up.

Nick knelt beside the bed to hold Judy's paw. A moment later a contraction rolled through her body her claws dug deep into his paw pad. "I told you, I wanted to let nature takes its course." She also didn't want the capybara to come near her with a knife.

"This ain't natural." The doctor replied under his breath. The chinchilla stood on the bed and squirted some gel on Judy's belly. Doctor Wallace wanted to see what was going on inside her, that would have the final say.

The capybara had to admit what he saw in the grayscale image was, in a word, perfect. Not the form of the hybrid, that was perverse, wrong, sinful even, but other than the oversized form it was in the perfect position for a natural birth. "Well, I'll be damned." Watching the heartbeat of the soon to be born, then the flex of the muscles around the form. "Looks like she's as stubborn as you." The doctor told the chinchilla to clean Judy up. "It's too late for an epidural though."

"The pain is nothing." Judy growled.

While the nurses jumped to the various orders of the doctor, Nick simply held Judy's right paw. Each contraction forced her claws deeper into his palm pad. Blood slowly seeped from the wound, but the fox's paw didn't so much as shake. This pain was nothing. Seeing the most important mammal in his life in pain, and unable to ease it was so much worse.

Soon Judy's legs were up in the stirrups, with only a blanket laid over her covering her from chest to knee. The doctor sat at the foot of the bed his full attention on the scene unfolding between her legs. The bunny nurse close watching and helping as ordered. While the deer waited, ready to retrieve equipment. The chinchilla stayed by Judy side checking her vitals.

"Okay, start pushing." The doctor ordered. Judy did just that. Her trembling paw squeezed Nick's even harder. "She's coming."

The bunny tilted her head with her ears up surprised. "Wow she's… tough." The nurse still had a suture kit but was starting to think she wouldn't need it.

"You're doing great, Carrots." Nick said with a kiss to her cheek. Most prey mammals were fairly quiet especially smaller species, even in this day of larger offspring. However, as the birth progress Judy got louder. Her grunts and growls became the snarls of a beast many times her size.

"The head is out we're at the shoulders now push." The doctor said.

Nick never looked away from Judy's face other than to wave away an offered bandage or to watch as Robin looked around the sheet only to faint at what he saw; the real fox dreaded the thought. Not the sight, as stomach churning as that could be, but the fact that the most terrifying thing to him was just inches away from entering the world.

In a moment of peace, the nurses checked Judy's strong healthy vitals, the doctor mumbled about unnatural things and Judy pulled Nick into a kiss and said. "Love you, dumb fox."

"I know, you sly bunny." He smiled and added. "Your doing so good."

Judy didn't get to reply as a snarl erupted from her throat nearly startling the chinchilla off the bed. The sound didn't faze Nick. However, the wet sounds from under the blanket filled him with dread.

The three nurses cheered Judy on as the doctor coached her through the final stage. Despite Juniper's size, she was soon, truly, brought into the world. Judy released Nick's paw as the bunny and deer took Juniper to the side to weigh and clean her, much to the hybrid's dislike.

She sounded strong, however the cries drew a strong reaction from the feral bunny. Judy growled and demanded her kit. The chinchilla reassured Judy it was okay, Juniper was fine, and Judy could hold her in a moment, but that didn't stop the bunny's growls.

"Mister Wilde." Nick's growls stopped as Doctor Wallace called him. "A word please."

The fox looked back and forth for a moment. "I'll be right back, Carrots." Judy panted and nodded, she was focused on Juniper who was hidden from view while the nurses cleaned both mother and daughter.

Outside of the room Nick looked down at the capybara and asked. "What's up doc?"

Doctor Wallace sighed and looked up at the fox. "There is no real easy way to say this, but I really don't think you should get attached."

Nick's eyes went wide as he questioned. "What do you mean, I shouldn't get attached…" His strength wavered for a moment. "To my daughter?"

"Mister Wilde this is a first of its kind," Doctor Wallace explained, "you and your wife are too very different species. This situation is not like if a lion and a tiger breed or different canines. It could be suffe-"

"Shut up." Nick growled.

"Mister Wilde I can tell you have misgivings about this creature."

"I said shut up!" Nick snarled as the door to Judy's room opened. "My daughter is not a creature and if I have any misgivings they're not about her." The three nurses watched as Nick stared down at Doctor Wallace. "You're fired. If I ever see you around my daughter I will…." The capybara blinked staring at the fox's feral eyes. Nick's pupils were pinpricks of rage in pools of burning emerald.

Doctor Wallace trembled for a moment then silently turned and walked away. Nick stared daggers at the back of his head until the capybara was around a corner. "Um, mister Wilde?" The Deer asked, the three nurses jumped as the fox's head whipped back around to face them. His expression quickly softened, and the deer continued. "Um, she is a healthy one point three pounds, her vitals are stable, but we can't tell you if they are normal."

The bunny nodded. "She's a wiggler and is very strong." She smiled. "Judy's feeding her right now, so page us if you need anything."

The bunny and the deer walked away after Nick thanked them, the chinchilla looked up and spoke. "Hey, Mr. Wilde, I uh..." She paused and lowered her ears. "I saw that, and I just have to add, he really should have insisted on a C-section, I don't know the numbers off the top of my head, but your daughter is significantly larger than any bunnies I've seen."

"You saying I have a malpractice suit?"

"No." The chinchilla said waving away the thought. "Just that it was a freaking miracle that the birth was as easy as it was, I'm just saying." She shrugged and looked up at the fox. "Oh, and here." She pulled a folded note from her scrubs. "I work with a doctor that would be very interested in your case." Nick took the paper and thanked her as she added. "I won't keep you any longer, congrats and good luck."

"Thanks." Nick said as the chinchilla hopped down the hall. "This is it." The fox took a breath and opened the door. He slipped inside and closed it. He stood leaning with his back pressed to the door. His other selves stood beside him just as frozen. He couldn't see the bed nor its occupants. It was hidden by the bathroom to his right. However, he could hear them.

The room was silent save for a soft beep of the heartbeat monitor hooked up to Judy. Nick could hear her breathing, cooing and speaking softly. Encouraging Juniper and welcoming her to the world. Even once commenting on how perfect she was and that she herself was so happy to meet her. Juniper only squeaked and whined a little but mostly Nick just heard her nursing.

Nick just stood there for who knows how long, just listening. Fascinated and terrified. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know how to do it, or if he even could. Whatever it was. Finally, Nick looked at Robin then Todd ending with Slick all of whom nodded. He knew what he had to do.

He had to meet his daughter.

Nick's claws tapped on the floor as he walked in. Judy was on her side facing him, the light sheets pulled up to her bare shoulders. She had a smirk on her muzzle and eyes that said, 'about time.' The bunny herself was simply silent as her husband approached. She shifted just enough so she could return the coming kiss. She was tried.

The lip lock was a gentle one, full of love and affection. However, there was an odd copper taste in her mouth that made Nick's eyes widen as he looked at her. Sheepishly Judy shook her head silently telling Nick he didn't want to ask.

The red fox sighed and knelt beside the bed just looking Judy over for a moment. The sheets fell over her following her curves then flowed off her and over a much smaller form. His green eyes jumped up from that shape back to Judy's face as he asked. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired, sore, strangely empty." The bunny giggled as she added. "In more ways than you know, little girl drained both taps." Under the sheets Nick noticed Judy's paw run over the Juniper's form. Judy's voice wavered as she said. "This is the second proudest moment of my life."

"Second?"

"Well, marrying you is tied with graduating the academy." She smiled warmly while Nick felt strangely hurt and proud in the same moment. "Only because I was just so sure about the future then. I knew what was around the corner and all that. Probably really naive too."

Judy looked down and the form snuggled to her belly as it twitched a little. Her nose wiggle nervously. "But now as happy as I am, I can't help but be worried." She trembled for a moment then smiled. "But we can do it."

"Yeah." Nick said smiling, despite his nerves the fox was thinking she was right.

"You ready?"

Nick's heart almost stopped. This was it. The fox looked at his wife and nodded. "No, but I don't really have a choice, do I."

Judy didn't say anything and just nodded. She waited a beat then lifted the sheets. Revealing Juniper Nyota Wilde to her father. Nick gasped seeing the hybrid fox bunny in the flesh.

Juniper was covered with powdery silver fur that darkened to black along her limbs. Her muzzle was a blunted arrow shape. With long ears that lay folded close along her neck ending in dull points just past her shoulders. Her eyes were closed tight leaving their color a mystery. Unlike in the past both senses were fully formed already, they just stayed close for a time. It was an evolutionary holdover. It wasn't uncommon for some babies to open their eyes on their first day.

Nick's eyes were wide as they were drawn to her front paws. They twitched like much of her body as it got used to the real world and the new sensations of it. First if all being dry. The sleeping kit's four fingers clinched the bed under her. Soft clear claws sliding out to grip the fabric. While her front paws were like her father's Juniper's back paws and hips were like her mothers. Strong legs with large flat feet with three toes on each. Little black pad sat nestled among the fur and claws that would be sharp if they weren't so soft. They also appeared to be retractable.

Juniper's black tipped cottony tail swished around trying to do something that its owner hadn't learned to do, yet. Nick was amazed, his fears and worries vanished and were replaced with new ones. Would this little buddle love him, what color were her eyes going to be, who will she take after more, but there was one thing he knew without a doubt?

He would give his life for her without a second thought.

A happy smile grew on Nick's face. "She's perfect." A sentiment Judy readily agreed with. He smiled and started to climb into the bed, but a paw slammed into his shoulder halting him. Claws forcing their way through his uniform.

Judy was hissing low her brow furrowed, instinctual feral aggression Nick met with the same. The fractured minds of the couple placed their more savage selves just over their shoulders. Ripley with her paws on Judy's shoulder had bared teeth and almost glowing eyes. An intimidating display to which Todd seem immune as he pushes forward his dripping fangs barred.

However, as the tension in the room rose Juniper absorbed it like a sponge, something she didn't like. The little blind and deaf kit started to squeak and cry. The sound cut through the ferals' anger and turned their attention to her. However, it was not a danger for the kit.

Juniper's new world softened as her parents nuzzled her, her only working senses were overwhelmed with the smell and touch of her parents. Forming a bond that would take years before it would weaken, but it should never break if maintained properly. Nick and Judy both intended to do so. With their feral instincts sated, Nick kissed Judy before she curled around Juniper. The fox undid his duty belt and tossed it on a chair before he curled around the bunny and hybrid kit. His nose to the sleeping newborn's fluffy silver cheek as she was cradled in the nape of her mother's neck.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Nick stood in a vast green field. He wore an orange and blue Gi, smiling proudly as he stood his ground against the vicious ferals Anthony and Jaklyn. The bobcat in a blue uniform with white and yellow armor, and the hare in black with orange and black armor. They didn't fear the three before them their power levels were so much higher than these three.

A few steps in front of Nick stood the powder silver and black kit wearing a Gi like her father's. Though she was barely a foot tall she was ready for a fight. A mischievous smile like her father's and eyes bright and wondrous like her mother's. In his eyes she was the best of both her parents.

To Nick's left Judy stood in the same Gi as the rest of her family. Although she was less than happy. She rubbed her forehead were six dots sat prominently. Her ears were down as she groaned. "Why am I Krilin?"

"Don't worry buddy she's got this." Nick said slapping Judy on the shoulder nearly knocking the bunny to the ground.

"Oof, why?" Judy almost whined.

Jaklyn looked back at Anthony and said. "Oh hay, Anthony, this is going to be fun hun?"

"Not really." The bobcat yawned, until with a crack whoosh the hare flew by him and smashed a large rock formation. "What?!" The feral said shocked.

Looking back at what he thought were pathetic earthlings. The smiling powder silver kit floated above the ground. Her little fist glowing like her ruby red eyes.

Behind the kit the bunny whooped with her fist in the air. "This just got better."

"That's my girl." Nick cheer. "Now, take that bobcat down."

"No no, wait!" The bobcat said only to be cut off by a flurry of blows to his face. The little kit stood on the bobcat's chest digging her claws into his armor as her fist pounded Anthony's muzzle. The sound was like a tiny machine gun firing at full speed. The kit then backflipped off the beaten bobcat kicking him in the face as she went. His body landed beside his partner in the rubble of the rocks.

"That was amazing Juniper." Nick said as he scooped up the panting child. Judy jumped into the hug and nuzzled them both.

A shadow falling over the happy family made them all look up. Sitting in a floating space throne with a sharp horned crown was Dawn Bellwether. She laughed as she descended to earth with a legion of bad guys behind her.

But Nick smiled, he let Juniper float beside him then he looked at Judy. The bunny laughed and asked. "Is this what you dream about all the time."

Nick looked back at his daughter as she smiled and stretched before readying to fly up into the fight. Nick nodded and said. "I hope so." He stood and popped his neck. "Let's do this."

"On your tail, Slick." Judy giggled.

Juniper laughed adorably as she followed her father and mother into the horde. Nothing could stand against them because they were a family and Nick wouldn't have it any other way.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hybrid Conundrum**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Welcoming New Problems**

The bright hospital room was full for most of the day. The sun reflecting off the white tile and light brown walls gave it a spacious feel, even with all the visitors, keeping it from feeling cramped. Friends and family came and went all day, taking off work and traveling just to see the day old Juniper. Not that she seemed to care as long as they didn't hold her. She didn't like to be away from Nick or Judy for too long. Something Isara Wilde learned earlier that morning. Juniper had some lungs on her.

Thankfully, both the hybrid's parents kept their farel sides in check. Though in Judy's mind Ripley was never far from her baby. Judy often having to check that she was still in the bed. Nick did have a moment that he didn't realize he was growling at Peter when the wolf first came in.

While Nick's fears of being a father had not vanished, they had morphed into something completely different. Now he wanted to do everything for his child and her mother. Even if he wasn't physically able to. Which could be as humorous as they were embarrassing, like when Juniper got hungry for the first time that day and Nick said he would feed her.

Juniper was not being bottle fed.

However, that was all a while ago. It was getting late in the afternoon when Stu and Bonnie Hopps had arrived smelling of the farm but clean. They had left their army of children back home. Juniper wasn't the first grandchild to be born. Even with the complicated farm bunny customs. The Hopps parents made a point about seeing them first and let the parents present the newborn to the family later. Bonnie was smiling at the little blind bundle in her arms as she cooed. "She's... she's... she's like the best of both of you."

"Right." Judy said sitting in the bed wearing a light blue green gown, it hid much but revealed her belly had shrunk a great deal for obvious reasons. "I can't wait to see what color her eyes are." She giggled.

"If she's anything like you, we'll know in a couple of days." Bonnie replied gently rocking Juniper.

As Stu leaned over to fawn over his granddaughter, the newborn started to whine and wiggle. Both the older bunnies looked up at Judy, they were experienced but each child was different. "Loosen the blanket. She doesn't like to be bound up too tight." Bonnie nodded and loosened the swaddle, letting little Juniper paw at the air and yawn cutely.

"Just like Nick." Isara said with a smile. "Hope she's not like him with clothes. Showed off his little bum to more than one preacher." A laugh rolled through the crowd.

"Thanks, Mom just what I wanted everyone to know." Nick commented with a smirk. He sat on the bed with Judy and a paw around her shoulders.

"Oh hush. How often do I need to tell you to put on pants?" Judy giggled.

"Not often." Nick replied with a smirk. "Normally your telling me to take them off." Another laugh from the crowd as Judy's ears turned red. Stu forced himself to swallow his laughter before glaring at Nick.

The fox just smirked, knowing that it was all show, the fox's ears twitched as he heard Finnick in the corner. "I'll be there baby, love you kiss kiss." Nick wasn't the only one to notice the small fox's uncharacteristic sweetness. Peter who had switched shifts so he could visit, Jessica Peters girlfriend and Fru Fru were the first to show up today. Other than Isara and Clawhauser, who had taken a sick-day to be here, all witnessed the display.

"That was surprisingly sweet." Peter said with a smirk, he wasn't personally familiar with Fin but he had heard about him from Nick.

"Yeah, yeah, Sasha's taking a month or so off so he and I are making plans." Fin shrugged and walked over to Bonnie. "Now let me see what all the hype is about."

Fin was shown the newborn, but he didn't want to hold her just yet. Bonnie being the grandmother was just uncomfortable with the idea. Meanwhile Judy turned to Nick and silently confirmed what she heard. "He?"

Nick nodded like it should have been obvious to which the bunny asked. "Fin's gay?" Ben, Peter and Jessie watched for the red fox's answer while Fru Fru eyed Fin. Nick gave them a simple slow nod again as if it should have been obvious.

Judy shrugged she didn't really care, anyone could love anyone, but her curiosity had been piqued. The bunny leaned over and whispered to Nick. "Have you two..."

The smile never left Nick face as he bounced his eyebrows. "Don't worry about it."

As Judy's ears turned red Bonnie looked up from Juniper. "So, when are you getting discharged?"

Unable to reply for the moment, Nick answered for his flustered wife. "This afternoon, we just have to meet with our new doctor first."

"Oh yes." Bonnie said as Juniper blindly grabbed Fin's nose. His eyes crossed to look at the paw, however still with her eyes closed his attempt to humor her failed.

"I just don't know what he was thinking." Stu said, shaking his head.

"Daddy could lend you a lawyer if you want, Judy." Fru Fru offered, it was a better more legal offer then what the shew had offered earlier.

Judy shook her head. "Let's not go there right now." The room reluctantly agreed as Juniper started to whine. The parents in the room knew that sound well. "Especially since it's feeding time." Nick hopped up to herd the others out while Bonnie returned the kit to her mother.

Outside the room Nick stood wondering why he had brought everyone outside. He shrugged seeing as no one seemed upset or bothered. A few took the moment to head to the bathroom or grab a snack.

Nick turned to go back to Judy but a tap on the shoulder brought his attention to Peter. The wolf smiled and leaned close to whisper. "How are your dreams?"

The fox smiled. "They're perfect." He looked at Peter his eyes full of conviction. "Wouldn't have them any other way." The wolf smiled back glad his friend's fears had been eased.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Several hours later and the visitors had left. Bonnie, Stu and Isara were at Nick and Judy's home making a celebratory dinner while the new parents were meeting with a potential doctor. The bunny groaned a little as she slid her legs out of the bed. Though she appeared uninjured, and the check-ups had confirmed it, Judy couldn't take more than a few steps without being in excruciating pain. Her hips weren't dislocated or at least they weren't when the nurses checked. That didn't mean they didn't during the birth or that her pelvis has not bent or even cracked. It wasn't uncommon for some females but probably not to the extent Juniper had required.

The kit was wrapped in a loose swaddle as she liked and a fresh diaper. Nick held her in his arms as Judy climbed down from the bed. He steadied the wheelchair for his wife with a paw and helped her with his strong tail. Slick and Robin surrounded her ready to catch the bunny. While Todd sniffed around the room and then looked up at the kit with a wagging tail and a smile.

Judy groaned as she sank into the chair and pulled Nick's tail over her lap. "I sound like my dad."

Nick smirked as the sleeping little powdered silver kit twitched. "Always thought you were supposed to sound like your mother with your kits." He looked down at Judy and how she hugged his tail. "Here I'll trade ya." He held Juniper down to her.

"I think I get the better part of this deal." Judy said as she took the sleeping newborn.

"If you say so." Nick smiled. "I still get to look at the two most beautiful girls in the world together."

Both chuckled gently. "Sweet cheese and crackers, Nick, you could get any cornier?"

"Is it really that corny when its the truest thing I have ever said." The fox smiled and turned the wheel chair around headed for the door, pausing long enough to gather up their bag and then looked back to check that they got everything.

While the father fox went about his modern duties with a primal focus, Judy looked at her daughter. The little black nose of the sleeping child flared slightly. Revealing its splotchy pink inside but that should darken in time. Judy ran her fingers through the kit's fur and over her ears as she took in the details of her daughter. She was the perfect combination of Nick and Judy. She had that same thought almost every time she looked at Juniper. When Nick returned to the wheelchair the bunny finally replied. "You're right."

"It happens from time to time."

A few minutes later Nick and Judy stood outside a borrowed office. The hall had white tiles and blue paint that covered half the walls before it became off white again. The doctor they were waiting for, a Doctor Ansem, was approaching them. He was red panda about Judy's height and quite round, though that was as much his fluffy fur as his body type. He had a mask of white fur around his eyes and over his snout, the rest of his coat a dark red brown. There was an excited spring in his step, making his white lab coat bellow dramatically behind him. Under his lab coat he wore some simple blue scrubs.

"Hello, you must be the Wildes." The fluffy mammal said in a light Germanic accent, holding out his paw. Nick took the new male's paw and shook it. The feral fox took a moment to size up the panda, and to let his other selves' weight in with their own comments.

Robin nodded. "He has kind eyes, and a happy smile."

Slick looked from Doctor Ansem to the younger apparition. "Please don't kiss him." Robin growled as Slick looked to Nick and added. "Seems better than the last asshole."

Todd didn't look happy as his nose flared. The savage grumbled low. "Big brain… Wants our precious... Yes?"

Satisfied with his assessment, Nick released the doctor's paw and let Judy greet him with a gentle shake of his paw. The bunny smiled at the panda. "And this is little Juniper." She lifted the bundle slightly, the kit squeaked as she shifted and pawed the air. Judy leaned down so the kit could grab her cheeks. Juniper calmed and dozed off a moment later.

Doctor Ansem grabbed his chest saying. "Oh my, too cute."

"Yep and she's all ours." Nick said as the doctor opened the office door. It was a simple plain office, probably belonging to a heart doctor do to the model probably used to explain what the surgeon was going to do.

"Yes, and I'm so, so jealous."

"Well that eases our minds a bit." Judy said while Nick wheeled her in. "Our last doctor was not a fan out our situation."

The doctor nodded as he took the seat behind the desk and placed his laptop on an open space. "Terrible, I completely understand why you would want to switch at such a time."

"Yeah." Nick said, more of a growl in his voice then he meant there to be. "So, I just have to ask. What is your opinion on our situation?"

The red panda rubbed his chin before he replied. "I think it is the most wonderful and fascinating thing on the planet." He looked at the pair. "Two completely different species breed and produced a child that is, as far as we can tell, healthy." He looked at the file he had then turned to his laptop and taped the touch pad. "Her vitals appear between those of bunnies and foxes. Some lean toward fox others more toward her bunny side. Just like her outside." He looked at the pair and their child. "What is going inside of her, -"

"Woe woe slow down we're not even sure if we want you to be her doctor." Nick said again with more of a growl then he intended.

"Yeah if she is just some sort of freak for you to study then stay away." Every other word Judy spoke was more of a growl than the last. The tension in the room disturbing the newborn. She started to whine, which just made the ferals angrier.

A primal shiver of fear ran through the red panda's spine. He glanced between the pair as Nick stood from his seat. "No no, nothing like that, she is a precious miracle." Nick stopped and looked at Doctor Ansem. The panda shook in front of his gaze. "I am a doctor first, researcher is second."

"Okay." Nick said calming down and retaking his seat. "So, her health comes first?" The fox asked as Judy nuzzled the kit to calm her as well.

"Oh of course." The panda looked at the kit. "Making sure she's healthy is the first step toward making this miracle possible for others."

Both Nick and Judy stared at the panda unsure. Doctor Ansem bowed his head with his ears low. "Not everyone has the bravery you two have." The panda rubbed the silver wedding band on his finger. "Some of us had the chance but didn't take it. For one reason or another, the lack of the ability for a natural family being a big one." He looked at the couple and smiled. "So, how did you do it?"

Mr. and Mrs. Wilde turned and looked at each other. They had gone from angry too worried in the span of a breath. "We're not very comfortable sharing that with you."

"Just yet." Nick finished for Judy. "We just met you, but if you're really that dedicated..." He looked at his wife and child.

Judy looked from Nick to Juniper who wiggled then breathed peacefully through her little nose. How could she deny anyone such a gift? "You can be Juniper's doctor." She smiled. "So, would you like to meet her?"

"Would I ever!" Doctor Ansem answered jumping up from his seat. The panda was easily older than Nick but with the answer to his life's mission before him, he was as giddy as a school cub. He froze for a moment from the glare Nick gave him. The accented panda then slowly knelt beside Judy as she deftly turned Juniper around for him to see.

Looking at the beautiful bundle his blue eyes sparkled, and his mouth hung open. "Na Holla die Waldfee, was haben wir denn da?" The Panda said momentarily returning to his native tongue. He looked at the little kit then reached for the bundle but a soft growl rumbling through the bunny stopped his paws. "Oh, I was just wanting to open the blanket." He knew something was up with these two, they were too instinctual, too… savage.

"It's okay." Judy said pulling the blanket away revealing the little kit in all her diaper clad glory. Juniper squeaked and shivered now not in her little warm bundle. "She just gets upset when others hold her." The new mother half lied.

"I'll bet." He watched as the powdery silver fur of the kit shifted as she moved. The rise and fall of her chest, how she waved her paws and kicked her legs, even the way her tail flopped about, it was all natural like there was nothing odd about her in the slightest. "Mister Wilde, could you grab me my notes?"

"Sure." Nick said, reaching for the file, keeping an eye on the panda the whole time. The file was thin, but it would grow with the hybrid.

Doctor Ansem thanked Nick and set the file on the open chair beside him. "Notes notes notes, so many notes to take." He smirked as he wrote. The panda turned back to Juniper. "Retractable?" he asked using his finger to pull the kits left paw away from her face.

"Yep, all of them." Judy answered. "Like her fathers."

"Left thumb claw seems stuck." The doctor commented as he gently tested said claw.

"Stuck?" Nick asked.

"Is that bad." Judy questioned worried.

"No, I don't think so." Ansem replied testing the kit's other thumb. "Her right thumb claw doesn't either." he hummed and wrote, while the parents sighed. He hooked his stethoscope in his ears and pressed it to Juniper's chest. He listened and move the diaphragm around. The blind kit whined a little as the doctor spoke. "Lungs good, same with her heart." He gently opened her mouth and nodded. "Gums are good to." He tried to feel where her incisors would come but Juniper wouldn't let him, turning her head and pushing with her paws. "Okay, okay another time."

The panda finished his notes and stood, while Judy comforted and rewrapped Juniper in her blanket. The kit yipped a bit as she settled down again. The panda sat down at the desk again. "I would like to get a blood sample, but that can wait." He wrote down some things then looked at the couple. "So, if I may, can I ask?" He sat with his fingers steepled leaving the question unasked.

Nick and Judy looked at one another and nodded. "You just have to promise not to let anyone know."

"Doctor patient confidentiality extends to you in this case." The panda replied.

"Well, I'm sure you remember the incident with the feral's last year?" Judy asked. The panda nodded as if anyone could forget. "Well Nick..." Judy looked to her husband.

"I used Nighthowler poisoned cigarettes to go feral." Nick finished his voice and face neutral. "We needed a trump card, something to even the playing field."

Doctor Ansem nodded, his suspensions confirmed. Judy nuzzled Juniper's ears and continued. "Well, during that time we noticed a feral showing signs of pregnancy."

"Who?"

"Jaclyn O'hare." Judy answered the doctor. "Anthony Carson's girlfriend."

"I remember that being mentioned when he caught you." Doctor Ansem nodded then looked up at the pair. "So then, you two..." He left out the question but got his answer as both nodded.

"We would not suggest doing it." Judy said looking around at the apparitions in the room. Ripley, the savage bunny, was sniffing at a potted plant. Sarah stood sentinel over the Panda, her paw on her duty weapon. Marion was beside Judy, fawning over the baby. "Even as well-adjusted as we are, there are some... complications." Nick nodded knowingly.

"Agreed." Doctor Ansem said rubbing his chin. "But it's fascinating, we have never studied the effects on Nighthowler on the reproductive system, but with the amazing effects it has on the rest of the body-" he paused and looked at Juniper. "This could also be a problem, we might have to expect behavioral issues."

"Yep." The couple said as one.

"I would still like a blood sample from all three of you, possibly other samples, but those can wait. I'm sure you want to get home and get used to your new life." He smiled, he was a little disappointed to hear that such a dangerous substance was used but was sure he could figure out a way around it.

It didn't take long for the Wildes to be signed out and ready to go. The pair headed out to the car, Peter having brought their car to them that morning. Juniper's nose wiggled at the new smell of the city air. Judy watched her offspring wiggle before hiding her nose in Judy's chest. With the kit in her arms and her painful hips, Judy had a little trouble getting into the car.

Once strapped in, Judy smiled at her daughter, while Nick put the wheelchair in the trunk. The kit sniffed and leaned away from her mother. With the scent of her parents making the car familiar, she wasn't ready to explore yet but that wouldn't stop her from sniffing around.

Nick sat in his seat. After adjusting it back to where it should be, he looked over at the two girls beside him. He smiled and leaned over to get a better look at his daughter, the very creature not a day ago he feared more than anything else in the world. Juniper wiggled a little and sniffed at her father's scent and calmed again. "We did it."

"What you mean we?" Judy said turning to look at the fox.

"Well I helped." Nick replied with a smirk. "And well, someone has to stop her from dating."

Judy giggled and touched her nose to his. "You'll do more than that."

"Oh, you know I will, got to chaperone her school dances to. Prom's no place for a good girl like her." Nick smirked and looked into the bunny's eyes. Their noses ever so gently pressed together. "I love you." He whispered.

"I love you to." Judy replied as they kissed. One became two, then three but that was as far as they got. With the little one in the car and their family waiting at home neither wanted to get hot and bothered.

"Let's get you home kido." Nick said turning the key. The car's engine rumbled to life.

And scared little Juniper something awful.

She could only vaguely hear the vehicle, but she could feel it. She cried loudly sending a shiver of anger through her feral parents. Thankfully, both the fox and bunny regained their composure. Judy leaned down to nuzzle, lick and coo gentle words to her. The primal affection and modern comfort calmed the hybrid.

Nick meanwhile drove home easily enough. Though his senses and instincts were on high alert. Ears high, his eyes wide and back straight. His movements were twitchy, snappy and quick. His nose darted to each possible threat, his eyes boring holes in whatever he saw. Needless to say, Nick was tense the whole ride and exhausted when he pulled into the driveway.

"We're home, Juniper this is where you'll grow up." Judy giggled as the Nick sighed relaxing for a moment.

After about a minute Nick looked over at his girls. "I'll get your wheels."

"No, I'll walk."

"Carrots." Nick scolded. "I don't want you to trip."

"I want to walk her in."

"Judy." Nick said firmly.

"Okay." Judy said her ears and head low. "Papa fox."

"Momma Bunny." Nick laughed as he climbed out. With that a new set of nicknames was added to their repertoire.

Moments later, Nick was pushing Judy and Juniper through the door say. "And we're home."

The smell of baked chicken, turkey bacon, cheese and a wonderful array of veggies greeted Nick, Judy and Juniper. The later of the three sniffed, unsure of the smells, before hiding her face in her mother's chest again.

"Well howdy, you three." Stu said from the dining room to the right of the front door. He was putting the finishing touches on the set up of the large red oak table. It was a present from some of Judy's adult siblings and could seat about 8 mammals Nick's size but was adjustable not length but height. The father bunny smiled as he spoke. "The girls have almost got dinner finished." Both Nick and Judy exclaimed in favor of the idea of dinner.

"Judy?" Bonnie said poking her head through the sliding door that separates the kitchen from the formal dining room. She smiled at her daughter. "Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes, you got time to feed her if she needs it."

"Good idea." Judy said as Nick pushed the bunny into the room across from the dining room, the study. It used to only have a desk with their computer and a treadmill and was completely open to the rest of the house. Now it had a crib, changing table, diaper genie and even a shelf to store all the supplies. A rolling partition was added for some privacy and to shield the kit from the nose of the house.

Juniper had a bedroom with much the same but of a more permanent nature. Designed to grow with its owner till finally she was old enough for children's furniture. But for now, the kit would have a place in every room for her to be close to her caregivers. Nick kissed Judy then Juniper on the head while the bunny opened her gown's top, it's front could be unzipped leaving a flap to keep some modesty while the new mother fed her daughter. Judy returned the affection to Nick's cheek before he slipped away and slid the temp wall closed to give mother and daughter some private time.

As Nick walked into the kitchen Judy called out. "Wow, she's hungry." The bunny giggled.

"Just like her father." Isara said as she looked over at Nick. He chuckled and snagged some zucchini noodles with his claws slurping it up before his mother could stop him.

"Just checking them." Nick smirked as he was shooed to the side.

"Watch out there, son." Stu said, "Bonnie might take the wooden spoon to ya."

"Oh yeah." Nick replied with a smirk. "Judy told me."

Bonnie giggled. "Judy wasn't the problem."

"Well." Stu interjected.

"With stealing food." Bonnie said taking back the conversation. "She was the one always breaking up fights."

"And that's bad?" Nick asked as his mother opened the oven pulling out a tray of stuffed chicken breast and then a skillet with something Nick didn't recognize.

"When it was her younger siblings, no." Bonnie said as she took the plates from Isara. The fox had placed the main course on each plate. Cheese stuffed chicken and wrapped in turkey bacon for the foxes and a nice rustic ratatouille for the bunnies. "When it was with the other mammals at school it wasn't."

"Hey, I was just doing what was right." Judy called from the other room.

"What was right had you end up with a dozen scares and a broken leg." Bonnie replied in a motherly tone. Too each plate she added a nice sized nest of curled zucchini noodles then a healthy ladle of marinara sauce. After that she gave each plate to the males. Nick and Stu carried the meals to the dining room table.

"Well, yeah." Judy agreed dismissively as the males walked into the room across the open hall to place the plates where they go. Stu's plate would be at the head of the table, Bonnie to his right and Judy his left. Beside Judy would sit Nick. Across from Nick would be Isara.

Bonnie came in behind the males. "My point exactly." She set her plate down and wiped her paws.

"My little Nick wasn't the one starting the fights or ending them for that matter." Isara said placing the blows of extra noodles and sauce on the table. "But he had his fair share of scuffles in schools."

"Won every one of those fights." Nick corrected before halfheartedly hiding. "Or got those guys back for the beating." He walked into the study, took the bundle of Juniper from the bunny so she could fix her gown. The kit was asleep with a wet but clean muzzle. Nick smiled at her as he gently and reluctantly laid her in her cradle.

"Nick." Isara scolded taking her seat.

Judy stood on shaky legs as she looked at her husband, she knew Nick wasn't a fighter till about a year ago. So, she wondered how the witty fox would spin it. "Just because I got someone else to do the fighting doesn't mean I didn't win it." He smirked and offered Judy a paw as she walked to the table. They left the door open so to keep an eye on the newborn.

The feral bunny refused the paw just to prove she could walk on her own. "You can't do that anymore, Slick." She smiled as he walked close ready to catch her if she fell.

"Nope," the fox replied as he pushed her chair in, "but you're still jumping between mammals six times your size."

"Somethings never change." Bonnie said shaking her head.

"And somethings do." Isara said smiling at her son proudly.

It was the first time the five of them had ever really sat down for a meal as a family. There were a number missing, some due to lack of maturity, others from lack of space and one due to being little more than a detonator of DNA.

It was a good meal, lots of good for the soul as much the stomach. Stories and advice were given and received with various levels of success. The sixth mammal in the house joined them after she realized she wasn't in her mother or father's arms and started to cry. The only ones bothered by the sound were the only ones that had only heard their screaming child maybe once before.

Not because they were annoyed with the noise, but Nick and Judy thought they had done something wrong. They weren't of course but even being told that by the experienced parents didn't ease their worries.

After dinner, while Isara and Bonnie were cleaning up, Judy was ordered to sit at the island with Juniper and Stu invited Nick out in the backyard for a cigar and a talk.

Stu had given up the habit long ago, when he became father of the Hopps family in fact, so going on some 20 odd years now, but he kept a cigar box just for occasions like this. Nick had never been a cigar smoker but well, when your father in law offers one you say yes.

The two males stood in the backyard looking at cloudy evening sky. A few trees in Nick and his neighbor's yard hide the city skyline from them. They just enjoyed fruity tobacco and a sense of pride and satisfaction. "If she's anything like her mother, you'll be a gray fox in a few years."

"Yeah, I don't think I can handle two Judy's." Nick replied chuckling, the cloud of smoke swirling around his head.

Stu nodded and puffed his cigar. "True, true but I meant Judy." Nick's eyes widened the memory of a dream returning to him. Of being crushed by a tidal wave of baby fox bunnies. Stu laughed heartily in his cloud, only too cough. He waved away the smoke and continued. "It's not as bad as you think." He looked the fox over. "And neither are you."

"Oh, I'm bad." Nick smirked. "Well, I was, then I wasn't. Now, I'm..." He paused and looked into the darkness of the yard. Todd was rooting around in the dirt like he was hunting. "Somewhere in between."

Stu made a dismissive sound. "Well, I know you're right about being bad once, but now I think your good. But." Nick looked at the plump farmer bunny. "Don't ever back slide, you make my daughter a better mammal and you're a better mammal for It."

Nick nodded. "Just a couple of days ago I thought I was going to run. Cause it's what my dad did." Nick puffed at his cigar. "But now, despite all my bad sides," he noticed Slick beckoning him to come see something in neighbor's yard, "I would never leave her, either of them." He smirked and looked at Stu.

The buck nodded. "Good, because I'd shoot you if ya did."

After a chuckle the pair snuffed their cigars. They waved away the smoke before returning to the house. Once inside, the older father helped his bride of many years clean the dishes while the new father hugged his wife of months and watched their new child. The latter of which was awake for once. Wiggling and pawing around blindly, she had no place to go but Juniper was determined to get there. However, it was late and even the adults were tired. Isara headed to her own home, barely a 20-minute drive. A lucky thing to since Isara had agreed to babysit Juniper when Judy went back to work.

Nick and Judy decided to retire to bed as well, leaving Stu and Bonnie to watch some late-night television. Judy was still sore and tired from the day before. Nick carried Juniper giving her muzzle little nuzzles and her cheeks kisses and licks. The kit pawed at the large nose in her face. Judy giggled and watched as she walked along beside them. Her hips still hurt but it was going away slowly. Her feral body had already finished the repair, but that didn't mean the pain wasn't there.

Under the watchful glowing eyes of her parents Juniper was laid in her crib. The bunny and fox watched her simply breath, twitching or kicking occasionally, slowly falling asleep. Nick looked down at his bunny and she looked up at him. They smiled and Nick leaned down to kiss Judy's lips. She placed her paw on his cheek and returned it. With gentle paws the fox scooped up his lovely bride and laid her in the bed. She wiggled out of her gown then snuggled her way under the sheets while Nick kicked off his pants and shirt. There was no need for words only the simple comfort of each other's embrace. They closed their eyes and were soon asleep.

Only for a few minutes.

The banshee screams of their daughter ripping them out of their rest so they could tend to her needs, and to change her diaper. Not far away in the living room Stu and Bonnie shared knowing looks and smiles.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hybrid Conundrum**

 **Chapter 5**

 **Worth It**

That first night wasn't the most restful night Nick and Judy had ever experienced, but they'd certainly had worse. Dealing with ferals and criminals had them going through several rough nights. However, being awoken at least once an hour by the needs of their little one still wasn't easy.

Late in the morning Nick staggered into the kitchen wearing just some blue jersey shorts. Stu was reading the morning paper and sipping coffee at the kitchen table. Bonnie was beside him reading a package of turkey bacon. She had never cooked the stuff before, so she wanted to make it right, Nick needed meat in the morning, right? Judy might also want some like she did the night before with that stuffed chicken thing Isara made for herself and Nick. Bonnie would have never even tried that thing, but Judy had two big bites and would have eaten more.

Her daughter had changed.

"Morning." Nick grumbled as he poured himself a cup of coffee. The fox could smell it, Stu had made a good strong pot, he sipped it and smiled. A nice grind from the good beans. Another male of class, good.

"Morning." The older couple said as one.

"How was your night?" Stu asked with a knowing smile.

Nick yawned and chuckled. "I'm sure you know."

"Several times over."

Nick picked up a smaller cup and filled it with some more coffee. As he added some honey, cinnamon and some carrot creamer he asked. "It won't last _that_ long, right?"

The bunny's exchanged looks and both smirked. "It will be a while." Stu answered.

"But it will be worth it in the end." Bonnie assured him "And many times along the way."

Nick thought about the first moment he saw Juniper and nodded. "I can see that." He smiled, feeling a little energized now. He picked up his cup and the one he made for Judy. "So, um?"

"Breakfast will be ready in a few, I'll call ya." Bonnie said with a smile.

Nick chuckled. "Thanks." He walked back to the master bedroom the bags under his eyes gone for now. The fox smiled as he opened the door inside Judy laid on her side with a loose pale blue nightgown draped over her form. She watched Juniper wiggle around in the middle of the bed.

The hybrid wore a modified fox kit onesie. It had been taken up in a few places and the legs had been removed. Juniper's legs were just too different to fit in them. Those back legs were already growing stronger too, her big back paws were able to push her around inch by inch.

Judy looked up at Nick and giggled. "You'd think she would get sleepy after eating so much."

"Well," Nick said as he waited for Judy to sit up, "you gotta think bunny milk is like a strong cup of coffee." Judy's ears turned a little red took the offered cup of coffee and blew on it.

After a sip of the orangish brown drink the bunny watched Nick walk around to his side of the bed. "Could just be her fox side showing."

Nick snorted as he sat down on the bed. He was about to say something back but Juniper yaped as she sniffed out her father and wiggled toward him. The fox forgot all about the game as she was trying to get over to him. Nick smiled, set his coffee on the nightstand and scooped up his daughter.

His ears twitched as his bunny growled but it was just a reminder to be gentle with Juniper. Nick laid his daughter on his bare chest. Her little soft claws gripped at the firm hide under her father's soft fur, as she climbed up his chest supported by Nick's paws. Nick's iron bands of muscles teased up at the tickling sensation.

Nick just watched his daughter's little nose flare as she breathed. Judy leaned her head on Nick's shoulder as she snuggled up against him. Judy's paw replaced the one on Juniper's back as Nick wrapped his arm around Judy. The fox sighed contently then kissed Judy's head and laid his head on hers. Both watched Juniper gum at Nick's chest fur before dozing off. "So worth it."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Bonnie was startled each time the turkey bacon popped. But she had been cooking going on 5 decades now. She easily figured out how to fry the meat with only wasting three of the strips. The eggs to go with the bacon was familiar, and she had been cooking pancakes since she was a child just about.

Stacks of toast and the two different flavors jellies sat on the table. Stu had set the table just like last night. As if on cue, Judy and Nick walk into the kitchen. Nick wore a ZPD shirt and some jersey shorts, he held the little kit in his arms. She was cooing cutely in her sleep as he carried her over to the small cradle. Judy was now only limping slightly in her loose blue tank top and black yoga pants. Her feral body powering through the damage done.

Judy looked at the kit as she laid in the crib. Juniper twitched and continued to coo as she slept. Judy frowned and looked at her mother while Nick was heating up his coffee in the microwave. "Is that normal?" She asked.

"Is what normal dear?"

"Juniper, she's twitching and making little noises."

Nick tested his coffee with a finger and looked back at his wife. "She's just snoring, Carrots and she's always twitched." Stu looked over at Nick with his eyebrow raised.

"But is it normal?"

Bonnie wiped her paws as she walked over and with a glance at the kit the experienced mother smiled. "She's fine, Judy." Bonnie pulled her daughter away. "You weren't such a worry wart in the hospital, so don't be like that now."

"But..." Judy whined almost morphing back into a child.

"Judy." Bonnie's firm motherly voice eclipsed her daughter's as her ears stood up. Judy sulked away and sat at the table. Nick watched amazed from behind his cup of coffee.

After that the meal started and everything became much more pleasant. Good food always had that effect on mammals. Even ones slowly turning into a worry wart helicopter mother. There were a few times when Juniper made a noise that Nick had to lure the bunny back to the table with a promise of a bacon flavored kiss or a full strip of turkey bacon.

After the dishes from breakfast were in the sink, Nick said he'd take care of them tonight. Now they were all in the living room with Juniper. The kit wiggled in her mother's arms; Judy couldn't pull her eyes off her daughter even to watch The Jack Savage movie they had put on. Not that she wanted to watch the long running spy franchise. The scars caused by the hare using the same name still ran deep, not just in Judy but many mammals. The movies would still get released in the city but with understandable lack of fanfare, at least for the foreseeable future.

No, Judy just didn't want to miss anything about her little bundle of irritating joy. The bunny wanted to see each little development and catch anything bad before it did the unthinkable. The blunt arrow shaped muzzle of the kit opened as Juniper yawned. She sniffed the air and reached blindly for her mother. Juniper only knew she was there from the smell. Judy smiled and leaned down to let the little one grabs her cheeks.

Bonnie watched out of the corner of her eye. She smirked and prayed her daughter didn't become a helicopter mother or something like that. Thankfully Nick was there, he could offset the gray bunny's worry and he would distract her. Judy always had a problem with focusing on one thing to the detriment of everything else. The fox leaned over stole a kiss of his wife's cheek and of Juniper's paw. Judy then turned and gave him a true kiss on the lips. Her fur slipping from the kit's paw.

Juniper didn't seem to mind; she just rubbed her paws over her eyes. Nick leaned his head on Judy as they watched the little one. Their ears shooting up hearing Juniper snort a few times. She started to whine and look uncomfortable. Before the parents could ask why, they both got a nose full of the answer. Nick gasped and swung away holding his unfortunately powerful nose. Judy cringed, screwing her eyes shut unable to escape the smell as she held the source in her arms.

"Time for a new diaper?" Bonnie asked.

"Oh yeah." Nick said. "Judy what are you feeding her." He chuckled and smiled at his bunny.

Judy's ears flushed as she stood. Stu chuckled. "Girls always stink more." Bonnie looked over at her husband with a raised eyebrow. "Hey, you're the one who told me that." Bonnie nodded giving him the point.

That was how the rest of the day went. In the back of Judy's mind, she worried constantly and Bonnie told her to relax. Even explaining the golden rule of having a baby. When they nap you do and other little bits of advice. Judy regretted not taking it.

That night was much like the first, constant wakeups to the wail of their beloved child. Diapers, food, warmth, too warm or just needing attention. They were getting slower and slower each time and even a little angrier. Eventually Judy and Nick had taken to letting the hybrid sleep with them. However, that only solved one problem. Juniper getting cold.

Hunger, dirty diaper and just plain wanting attention wasn't solved by being curled up like primitive animals. It wasn't uncommon for mammals to do something like this, especially those mammals that already sleep in that primitive fashion. In fact, it was Bonnie who suggested it the time Juniper had wanted to be carried around the house. The head of Hopps family didn't curl up like that but some of their offspring did sleep with them in their first months of life.

The next day, Friday was the first eventful day. After breakfast for both the adults and Juniper, the kit had her first bath. Something she was not happy with and let everyone involved know in the only way she could. Kicking, screaming, and even peeing trying to get the "torture" to stop. The bath ended with a crying Juniper and soaked Nick, Judy and Bonnie. Stu was dry only by virtue of being above the hybrid kit's head.

With Juniper clean Judy held her rubbing her dry and whispering calming words to the currently deaf kit. While drying their kit, Nick noticed something. "Judy look, her left ear."

"What?" The bunny asked somewhere between interested, joyful and worried. She gently moved the whining kit so she could look. "Sweet Cheese and Crackers." The ear Nick had pointed out was open. Looking at the ear its shape had changed a little. It was more triangular then a bunny's ears but longer than a fox's, creating a cute floppy predatory ear. For the first time in her life Juniper could truly hear her parents. Judy had a teary smile as she spoke. "Hey Juniper." The ear twitched and Juniper turned to the voice of her mother, turning her words into a devoted squeal.

"Told you it would be quick." Bonnie said with a little choke as Stu hugged her around the shoulders. It was a sight they would never get tired of seeing.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The next day Bonnie and Stu had to head home. After packing, eating breakfast, many hugs and of course whispering sweet goodbyes to their granddaughter's one open ear at the train station. She yipped and snuggled into them to doze off having already cried from all the new sounds and smells and grown used to them.

Bonnie gave the kit back to her daughter. "Now remembered to not freak out over every little sniffle."

"Yes, mom." Judy replied cradling her daughter. Juniper's little pink onesie was a shade softer than the pink jacket Judy wore over a yellow dress with a white peter pan collar.

"But give us a call if you need advice." Bonnie added with a smile. While Stu mentioned that the train was about to leave.

"Well, Nick's mom is in town and not far." Judy said. "But we will. We still don't know who Juniper takes after more. Hopefully the doctor will be able to tell us."

Nick looked at his watch and said. "Speaking of which you two aren't the only ones close to missing something." Stu and Bonnie gave Nick and Judy hugs before picking up their suitcase and boarding the train.

As the couple turned and walked away not wanting the train to wake their daughter Judy asked. "Do you think my mom is right?"

"About you being a worry wart?"

"Yeah." Judy replied with little of said worry in her voice.

Nick hummed for a moment and nodded. "Yeah, a little bit but I think it's normal." He looked at the bunny, tightening his grip on her shoulder. "Even as abnormal as we are. Besides, I don't think you're used to being this scared. You said it the day she was born."

Judy looked up from their kit. "I'm starting to hate that you know me so well."

"Welcome to my world, Carrots."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It wasn't a long drive to doctor Ansem's office. It was in a well-kept complex of offices and other businesses in a small mammal section of Savannah central. The complex circled a small water work in a squared U shape. The red rock formation in the center was not covered by the fixed awnings letting the various little flows of crystal-clear water sparkle in the sun. A small pond around the base of the fixture wasn't originally meant for swimming but long ago had been converted to a kitty pool. Two river otter pups swam around under the watchful eyes of a bunny lifeguard and their mother.

The mother otter eyed Nick, more curious than suspicious. This wasn't a place where different sizes intermingled often, and Nick was out of uniform just wearing a nice black button up with floral stripes and kayaks. Nick ignored the look and opened the door to doctor Ansem's Office. The red brick and black trim outside gave way to the soft pinks, blues and white of the pediatrician's office.

The wait in the newborn wait room was not long. Judy had just gotten comfortable and was contemplating feeding Juniper when the nurse, the same chinchilla that help birth the hybrid, opened the door and said they were ready. Nick gathered their things and smiled, glad to not have to be stuck in the small room.

Juniper woke up during the exam. The hybrid in a pink onesie with a little stylized fox princess on her chest hissed, screamed and kicked as the doctor listening to her heart, lungs and when he looked in her ear. The other was still closed as we're her eyes, when asked he said that was common. The only thing the kit didn't try to fight them on was when she weighed. Not that she was still for that.

Doctor Ansem smiled as he looked at the three. "So, about those blood samples." He said nodding to the chinchilla who hopped away to gather the supplies needed.

"From all of us?" Nick asked, to which the red panda nodded. "Great."

Doctor Ansem rubbed his chin as he looked at Juniper's stats. "Looks like she's eating well."

"Oh yeah." Judy replied with the kit held close keeping her from whining. "Drinks me dry every time."

"And your body is keeping up."

"Well, she hasn't complained."

Nick chuckled and adds. "Till it makes its way out the other end." The fox wasn't happy about having blood drawn, especially from his daughter but it couldn't be helped.

The doctor chuckled and nodded. "And about her movements are they normal?"

"Um." Judy thought for a moment. "It's a little different than what I've seen from baby bunnies, but my mother-in-law said it looks kind of like a fox's, so." She shrugged, looking kind of worried.

"Hmmm." The German panda thought. "I'm going to want a sample of it. Has she?"

"Oh, um." Judy looked at Nick. "Did you toss it at train station?"

Nick shook his head. "Guess I saw the future." He reaches in the baby bag between the chairs where they sat. The fox worked his paw around in the bag and found the sealed pocket for used diapers and retrieved the one there. Even though it was wrapped in paper towels, the smell hit the mammals noses hard. Juniper's nose wiggled and she turned away while Judy covered her nose with her free paw.

"Lucky." Doctor Ansem said standing and pulling a medical grade sealable plastic bucket from a nearby cupboard. Once it was closed Nick finally breathed again.

A moment later the nurse returned with two adult sized needles as well as a small butterfly needle for a newborn. Nick stared at the nurse as she made her way up on the desk. The chinchilla nurse, whose name was Amara, set each out, despite being a size category smaller than her employer she was the best nurse Ansem ever worked with.

The red panda instructed Judy to comfort Juniper as he held her paw. The kit did not like Doctor Ansem touching her, but he needed to hold her still while Amara stuck the needle in her. The whining of their child hurt Judy's heart, but it made Nick growl.

Both the doctor and the nurse froze then slowly looked over at the growling fox. His burning green eyes stared at them with pinprick pupils and his sharp white fangs were barred. Just as the panda and the chinchilla gulped in fear Judy said. "Nick!"

"Huh?" The fox responded his eyes dulling slightly. "Oh I..." He thought it was Todd that was growling so menacingly.

"Maybe you should wait outside." Judy said. Nick didn't argue he just stood and slipped away. The bunny looked at the doctor and apologized. "It's one of the problems." While Judy would just about panic at the drop of a hate for any little sniffle or abnormal twitch, Nick seemed to be more worried about external threats.

Or maybe it was just that he knew he would get stuck as well.

"I see that." The red panda nodded. The process of drawing blood from the three-day old's right paw was easy after that. Although her kicking and screaming did make Judy growl ominously. Thankfully it was no more than any other first-time mother. Once it was done Amara pulled the needle and disposed of it while Ansem held a bit of gauze to Juniper's paw.

"Okay, Nick your good." Judy called while Juniper hid her face and whined.

Nick poked his head in and said. "Do I have too?" he was playing more than he was frightened.

"Yes." The bunny replied. "Cause your next." Nick cursed quietly as he walked in. Doctor Ansem checked the gauze.

The panda made a face unsure of how to feel as she showed Judy the still pure white medical fabric. "Both good and bad." He said.

"Yep."

Nurse Amara wrapped a bandage on the kit's paw. Even if it was pointless it wouldn't hurt to be safe. Despite Nick's false whining and real hesitation his sample was obtained easily. Same with Judy but there was less whining, only a couple tears that she said were from a crocodile, they weren't.

It took a good long while before Juniper was calmed down. In fact, it wasn't until she was home, snuggled with her parents on the couch that she stopped whimpering from time to time.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Another rough night followed; however the morning was a little easier. Maybe it was that Nick and Judy were figuring out how to accommodate the child, maybe it was their feral nature that was kicking in and letting them push longer, or perhaps it was just a calm before the storm. It could just be as likely that being just the three of them meant they didn't have to get dressed and feel just how tired they were. There was no shame in walking around their home in what they all wore to bed, next to nothing. A diaper for Juniper, some blue panties for Judy and the fur he was born with for Nick.

Some coffee gave the new parents the energy to dress before breakfast. If old t-shirts and jersey shorts were considered dressing. breakfast was quick and simple as what they wore. Packaged pancakes and bacon, with maple syrup. Without her parents there Judy had just as much bacon as her husband. While Juniper had the same thing, she had every meal, and never thought of complaining about it.

After breakfast Judy and Nick lounged on the couch with their kit draped over Judy's chest fast asleep. After a movie and another feeding, the bunny decided she wanted to work out. After placing the kit in the small crib in the study and turning on the monitor Judy went to dress in her normal work out spandex. The top was tighter than it used to be making a bulge appear around her midsection. Her hips were still sore, but it was now more from sitting idle then the damage her feral body had already repaired. Nick didn't change, he only tied the string of his jersey shorts.

With the monitor to hear any sign of distress from their daughter the couple stepped out into the back yard. It was a nice day with the sun warming their fur in the chill air. Pushups, Sit-ups, jump rope, all the basics. Judy had some baby weight to work off, but she couldn't just jump straight back into the old routine. Nick didn't want Judy to strain herself. So, he would regulate her for now, pushing her would come later.

To finish up before lunch Nick had slipped on so target gloves letting Judy work out some aggression and start to shape her body the proper way. He smiled and as he let her gloved paws slam into each of the targets twice before moving them. Then he tested her reflexes with a "pop" target exercise. The whole time he watches his wife's form. Even with the extra weight she was still the most beautiful thing he ever looked at. Strong, fast, deadly, loving, caring and compassionate. All things a predatory mother should be.

Even though Judy was a bunny.

She was about to suggest they should call it and go eat when Nick suddenly spun and struck at her with his tail. She knew he could be faster, but this was the first time in four months they had worked out together, nearly twice that since they had a sparring match, so he was going easy on her. It took just a moment for the bunny too process what he was doing and respond.

The bunny ducked under the tail sweep and threw a punch at Nick's chest. The fox caught the punch with his pillow glove. He swiftly deflected the next blow just like Judy expected so she spun to kick him.

Nick caught the round house with his shoulder and pillow glove. He smiled at Judy in that second, they were face to face. She noticed he had removed the other glove. The bunny pushed away from the fox and hoped back her fists up as she bounced in place staying loose and mobile. In the same motion Nick took a similar but more solid fighting stance and removed the other glove.

It was far too early for a real sparring match, especially in their concert porch. However, it was a nice moment to gaze upon one another. Any flaw they might have was nonexistent in their mate's eyes, or only added to their appeal. To Judy, Nick was still that scoundrel that stole her heart and the very mammal she wouldn't go anywhere without. To Nick she was that spunky little bunny with stars in her eyes, a dream in her heart and the determination to see them through. The mammal that turned him from a criminal to a hero.

He had to hold her.

With a primal growl Nick pounced. Judy would have jumped away if she didn't know that sound well. It was his bedroom growl. She caught him but Nick took her down. He laid on the ground with his paw behind Judy's head protecting it from the hard ground. Judy gripped her husband's shirt as they kissed passionately. The fox's tail swished back and forth as he enjoyed being so close to the one, he loved more than any other.

Until the other mammal that Nick loved more than the world made her presence known. Through the static monitor the hybrid's cry started to crackle through, it was a hard sound to stand. Nick looked at the monitor while Judy rubbed her face in his neck. "Duty calls." He mentioned.

"Yep." The bunny replied.

The fox smiled as he helps Judy up as he stood. "Probably just a dirty diaper." He mentioned as he grabbed the monitor turning it off.

The cry grew stronger when Judy opened the back door, a cool wet towel over her shoulders. She stopped drinking her sports drink as her ear shot up. Without the obstruction, the mother could hear a new tone to her daughter's cry, it almost sounded painful. Judy looked up at Nick. "I don't think it's just a dirty diaper." She looked a little worried as she hurried to Juniper's side.

Juniper did not calm down like she normally did in her mother's arms even after the towel was discarded. The kit didn't want to eat and rocking her only made her quiet down a little bit. She whined and cried no matter what Judy and Nick did. So, the parents dealt with the noise and started lunch. They were sure she would stop in a little bit.

They were wrong.

The baby hybrid cried, whined and fused all through lunch. After finally getting the kit to nurse she cried, she didn't eat as much as normal either just added to the worry. With a mouth covered in milk she started to cry. Judy was starting to panic. That's when Nick decided to start calling for backup and advice.

Nick called his mom first, who rather than just trying to give advice over the phone said. "I'm on my way." He relayed that to his wife.

Judy called her own mother it helped her from panicking. The young bunny quickly explained what was going on. Some mammals would have had trouble understanding Judy with just how fast she spoke, but Bonnie was a bunny too, so it wasn't a problem. "It sounds like she has a stomachache."

"Really?" Judy replied her panic subsiding.

"Yeah. It might be from gas. Plenty of bunnies have that problem as kits. Did she eat anything?"

"A little a-little bit."

"Has she pooped?"

"Earlier." Judy replied her fears returning.

"Okay, if she doesn't stop either go to your doctor-" Bonnie's voice trailed off for a moment before saying. "You may still want to call your doctor; she isn't exactly normal you know. Just don't panic sweetheart."

The warning was too late, the moment Judy noticed Nick was off his phone she yelled. "Call the doctor!" Juniper yelped as she felt the yell as much as heard it. "Okay mom. Nick's calling the doctor and his mom is on the way, anything else?"

While Judy listened to her mother over the sound of her crying daughter, Nick called Doctor Ansem's office. A nurse picked up and greeted Nick before asking how she could help. The fox quickly answered. "I'm Nick Wilde. Juniper's father and I need to talk to Doctor Ansem. It's kind of important."

"Okay sir. I just need to see if he's free." The nurse replied calmly. She was experienced with first time parents, sounding calm helped.

Nick tapped his claws on the floor as he waited. Juniper was just whining now with her face in Judy's arm. After a couple minutes the accented voice of the panda came through. "Mister Wilde how can I help." After Nick explained what was going on Doctor Ansem said much of what Bonnie had explained to Judy moments, before adding. "However, I did get the preliminary results of Juniper's samples, and..." The doctor mumbled in his native tongue as he looked at result. "Everything looks okay. Though, again it is all a guess."

"But your guesses are right. Right?" Nick asked breathing a little heavy.

"I think so but if you feel she needs to see a doctor feel free to come in. I'll be here till nine." The doctor answered. "Looking at the results, her stomach may be upset do to a lack of protein in her diet. The sample I have shows it to be much less than half of what you would see in the stool of a normal fox."

"And you said everything else about her is about the middle of the road between foxes and rabbits." Nick replied rubbing his chin.

"Bingo." The panda doctor replied. "We can try some protein supplements for Judy, but if it doesn't work, I can find some for Juniper herself."

"Could a change in diet work?" Nick said watching Judy rock Juniper in her arms and rub the kit's belly.

"Well, yes, but that would mean converting to a more omnivore-esk diet like a bear."

The fox smiled focusing on the fact that they had a solution to the problem. "I think we can manage doc."

Doctor Ansem was silent for a moment then it dawned on him. "Of course, Mister Wilde. Anything else you need from me?"

"Nope. I'll call if I need you." Nick thanked the panda before hanging up. He slipped his phone in his pocket and walked over to the love of his life and his daughter in distress. He rubbed the cheek of the whimpering kit. "So the doc said it's probably just gas and an upset stomach." Judy nodded as she felt a rumble in Juniper's belly and the kit started to cry for real again. "He also said she might need a more predatory diet. Well, more that you need a more predatory diet."

The bunny blink and then said. "That's going to be so hard." Sarcasm dripping from her words.

About ten minutes later Isara arrived. Just like she had when Nick was growing up, the mother fox just walked right through the door. Though this time, Nick wasn't as upset as in his youth, there was little chance of being caught in a compromising position like that one time.

Isara smiled as she set her purse and keys on the table. She wore a lavender blouse and some simple blue denim capris. After greeting and being greeted the older vixen asked. "Okay, what's wrong with my granddaughter?" Hearing the cry, the self-taught mother nodded. "Gas… She's pooped today, right?" She approached and looked at the wet face of the blind and half deaf kit.

Judy was already tired of answering that as she rocked the baby in question. "Yeah."

The vixen nodded, her motherly instincts wanting her to take the kit and comfort her, but she knew better than to take a baby from its mother. She had it happen when she was younger, and she hated it then. So, Isara just leaned over her daughter in law and asked. "She got a rash?"

"Oh, um, I don't know." Judy shamefully admitted.

"It's okay, I'll check." Isara held out her paws. The bunny slowly gave over her daughter. The shame of not knowing to check her daughter overriding her need to keep ahold of her.

Isara smiled at the crying kit, Juniper was tiny in the vixen's paws, even smaller than Nick had been. However, the self-taught mother held her as confidently as can be. Isara did a quick check for a rash explaining. "Nick was prone to rashes." Both parents filed that to remember for later. Nick then told his mother what he learned from the doctor. Isara almost laughed as she investigated Juniper's teary face. "Well, that is probably something that will be common."

"Apparently." Judy replied while Nick nodded his head slowly with his arms crossed.

"Yeah, luckily." Isara smiled and rolled the kit in her paws. "No matter the baby the remedies are the same." The vixen supported Juniper's chin in one paw the kit's blunted arrow shaped muzzle between the vixen's fingers. With her paw gently holding the newborn in place, Isara slowly angled her paws down. Judy stiffened seeing and hearing her child crying more. Sara the farm bunny next to Judy shivered with her fist clenched. Ripley snarled on the floor in front of Isara as the older mother strengthen her back.

Isara repeated the process a few more times before the cry kit paused her wails and released a rumbling belch. The vixen smiled and cradled close. "I'm going to need a burp cloth any second now." As if on cue a second wet burp erupted from the kit. "Never mind."

While Judy was holding the cloth out to her mother in law Nick said. "Sorry mom."

"It's alright Nick." Isara replied as she traded Juniper for the burp cloth. "I got used to it with you and your cousins." Judy comforted the crying kit while Isara cleaned herself off. Juniper may have not been completely cured she did stop crying and just whimpered and snuggled into her mother's chest as she rocked her and wandered around the house.

"So, you think that fixed it?" Judy asked.

"We'll have to see." Isara answered.

"I'm sure it's all better." Nick said with a laugh.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Dinner with Isara and Judy's new dietary needs was heavy on the meat. Spaghetti with ground bug red sauce with a small salad, Judy was feral, but she was still a bunny.

Juniper's belly never truly settled. She whimpered, whined and cried every so often. Most of the time a gentle belly rub, cool rag or a simple burping soothed and settled her. However, a few times it took more than that. Especially after she fed. Isara had to teach Judy the same remedy she used earlier.

Though Judy was disheartened that Juniper spit up each time.

And so the night went on. Isara helped for the time she was there, until she left for the night. Which somehow made Juniper got worse, or it could just be that the new parents didn't see the signs of her discomfort and distress.

Which led to the newborn screaming through most of the night, making sleep near impossible for the already worn fox and bunny. Nick and Judy tried to take turns comforting and rocking their baby while the other tried to get some sleep. Be it worry, the sound of the cries or something else, neither parent ever really slept.

It was early in the morning, the first rays of the sun dancing across the ground outside as Judy held her whimpering daughter, she decided they would take the kit to the doctor. When she told Nick as he brought her some hot chocolate, the fox agreed. Sipping her drink as her husband took Juniper from her. "I really hope the doctor can give her something to help."

"Yeah." Nick said as he rocked his daughter. Nick smiled at Juniper as she burped wetly.

"Cloth?"

"Nah, I got one." The fox used the cloth from his pocket. The kit didn't protest as he whipped her muzzle clean. She wiggled her limbs and grabbed at his paw. Her little claws gripped his fur as she pulled at it with no intentions. Just as Nick realized Juniper wasn't crying or whining, he realized something else.

"Oh my god, Judy." Nick exclaimed.

Judy jumped her eyes wide and worried. "What, what!?"

Nick knelt and showed Judy their baby. In the light of their living room ceiling fan Judy saw the sleepy tear streaked face of their child. Juniper wiggled her tail as a glint of something came from the corner of both her eyes.

It wasn't tears.

As Nick and Judy watched their kit wiggle and then slowly her eyelids parted and opened revealing piercing baby blue eyes. They were unfocused but they were looking directly at Nick's eyes before he moved to let Judy's face fill the kit's sight. Juniper's eyes wiggled for a moment as they tried to focus on her mother.

But alas, she was still too young. Seeing the world would have to do for this morning. After committing her parents' faces to her instinctive memory, same as their scent, the finally happy kit yawned. Her newly opened blue eyes sleepily closed again.

Nick stood as Juniper yawned again. Judy smiled and hugged herself to Nick's side, rubbing his lower back with a paw as they walked to their bedroom. Both parents climbed into the bed with the kit asleep in between them. As the light of the sun shone through the blinds Nick's dull emerald eyes met Judy's equally tired purple orbs.

"Worth it."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hybrid Conundrum**

 **Chapter 6**

 **Wilde Homecoming**

It wasn't the easiest month and a half, Judy's new high protein diet did help with Juniper's stomach trouble and the tests proved it. It also had the benefit of helping Judy get back in shape, muscle builds muscle Nick had said once, while flexing his arm. Shortly before Judy pinned him with his arms behind his back, moments before being thrown off with relative ease. The trouble was mostly in the bathroom and how bloated and heavy she felt after a meal.

While Nick had wanted nothing more than to stay home with his daughter, After two weeks and much insistence from both Judy and the chief, Nick went back to work. The morning of that first day back both Juniper and Nick cried before he left. Though her tears could have been from a dirty diaper. However, the kit always did seem happiest when she could see both her parents.

After Nick left, when they were all alone, Judy talked all about how wonderful "Daddy" was, how much good "Daddy" was doing and especially how much "Daddy" loved them both. Judy thought she would have missed being a cop more than she did. She honestly could barely comprehend leaving her daughter at home. Much less how much she missed her mate.

Judy would be going back to work in little over a week, but first on this three day weekend Nick had the three headed over to Bunny Burrow. They planned to visit family and attend the Planting festival. Juniper also needed to meet her aunts and uncles. Which had sparked a discussion of the make up of Judy's family.

"So then when a new couple becomes the head of the family all the rest become their children." Judy said from the passenger seat of the car, wearing a simple button up red checkered shirt and some cut off blue jean shorts.

"Okay." Nick said. He wore simple jeans and white 'Welcome to Podunk' t-shirt. "That part I get but, marrying in or being hired and you become their children thing, I don't. Seems odd to just leave your old family completely."

"Well, I guess." Judy had never thought about it. "But you work harder for your family then just someone who's just signing a check." Judy replied as she looked in the back to check on Juniper. The kit was still happily sleeping, one ear flopped over her eyes. "Least that's what my dad said his dad told him." The bunny shrugged.

"And their kit's become the head of the family's?" Nick asked his voice slightly worried.

"Yea." Judy said looking up at her husband. "How do you think my mom has over 300 kids."

The fox glanced at the rear view mirror glimpsing the car seat. "Does that mean Juniper is?"

"What's her last name?" Judy asked with a smirk.

"Oh." Nick smirked realising what Mrs. Wilde meant. "So how many of your brothers and sisters are related by blood?"

"Bout half." Judy answered.

That was how the conversion went for the last hour of the trip. The family dynamics of farm bunny clans had always been a curiosity to Nick. He had heard strange things as a kit and as an adult he heard other rumors but knowing how mammal biology worked in this day and age it all seemed off. It never really felt right to ask out of the blue, some questions will always just be awkward.

Thankfully when they were talking about Juniper meeting her aunts and uncles and Judy brought up her sister having a kit, then mentioned that brought the Hopps family up to 300 hundred brothers and sisters she had to explain it. She also clarified that she was one of three girls and four boys her mother had.

Juniper slept till about ten minutes from Judy's childhood home. The kit looked around in her car seat and whined. She could smell and hear her parents but not see them. Judy almost without looking reached back and plucked the kits binky from where it had fallen in the car seat, quietly cleaned it and plopped it in the hybrid's toothless muzzle. Juniper grabbed her mother's paw and held it as she sucked on the binky.

Nick pulled his car into the large driveway of the main house of the Hopps family. A large white plantation style home three stories tall. It was the biggest home Nick had ever seen. Able to easily house the 300 plus Hopps with room to grow a little more even with a floor given way too just a formal dinning hall. There was a sprawling underground complex that went down several stories. Much like the burrows of old the Hopps home was self-sufficient with stores of food, several sources of water including one just to water crops, as well as enough back up generators to power the whole facility if city power was cut off.

Stu and Bonnie stood up from the rockers on the front porch. They had been waiting for the couple to arrive since their daughter texted a few minutes ago. However, they were not the only ones ready to meet Judy, Nick and Juniper. Several dozen bunnies from the age of eight to late teens raced out to greet them.

Judy giggled as she braced for the fluff flood, while Nick was bowled over. After some hugs and greetings Judy and Nick herded the younger bunnies back so they could unload the car. A few older bunnies including Stu and Bonnie joined the crowd. Nick got their one bag from the trunk while Judy got Juniper and her bag.

"Oh my she's gotten so big." Bonnie said looking at the silver white kit with uncoordinated grabby black paws wearing a red modified onesie. The kit had indeed grown a great deal since Bonnie had last seen her, the grandmother bunny took the kit from her daughter with a grunt. Bonnie was worried Juniper couldn't wear the festival dress Judy had worn as a baby. She was already more than a pawfull to hold.

Juniper had been looking around, listening to all the new sights and sounds around her. She sniffed at the new smells but the hybrid had only learned the basics of investigation. How to turn toward a sound to see its source and sniff at it, though Juniper's head was still unsteady at this time. However, it all changed when her grandmother took her. She stiffened up at Bonnie's unfamiliar touch.

Thankfully, Bonnie could feel the coming outburst. So before the kit even dropped her binky, The motherly bunny moved the heavy kit up and turned her so that she was facing her face. While Bonnie was less comfortable with her there. Juniper felt more secure and could smell just how closely her grandmother smelt to her own mother. Juniper relaxed feeling safe as she rubbed her cheek on the larger doe's shoulder.

Meanwhile Stu noticed Nick's shirt and frownd. "You know Podunk and Bunny burrow or two different towns right?"

"That's what I told him." Judy said finally getting Juniper's travel seat out of the back of the car.

"I thought it would be funny." Nick said shrugging, "City boy getting his wife county wrong or something I dont know dumb joke that was funny last night."

Stu just stared at Nick and said. "Podunk just beat us at PeeWee Basepaw by paying off the refs."

"Oh." His eyes widened and his ears fell.

Stu ever the dad snorted and laughed. "I've never held a straight face for that long." He chuckled and motioned for Nick and Judy to follow. Nick laughed at himself while Judy smiled at him. "Come on, let's get yall settled in. little June needs to get used to the place."

Nick and Judy followed Bonnie and Stu into the house, a long procession of younger bunnies behind them. About half of the group came in, it dwindled as distractions caught their young eyes. Be it games, tv or their own interest.

The inside of the large plantation home was a homy combination of earthy oranges and browns. The furniture dotting halls and rooms ranged from paw-built antiques, from the days of Judy's grandparents' grandparents, to items bought within the year to replace broken ones or just because someone in the family liked it. Most of the walls and tables had pictures with the face of different bunnies of the Hopps line held within.

Nick wondered how many of them were family by blood. He was sure not all of them could be. There were too many pictures of adult bunnies. the younger ones seemed to congregate around what were probably their birth parents. A visual history of the Hopps family. A veritable sea of black, gray, brown and white furred faces even when the pictures became colored. Then the answer to Nick's earlier question came in the form of his own face.

The red fox's coat stood out against all the pictures around it. It was just up there like any other picture. Even Judy blended in with her siblings despite the shiny badge on her blue uniform. Nick was in his dress uniform too, he knew that picture. It was his graduation picture, the same one that his mother had on her mantle. And here it was in his wife's ancestral home like it belonged.

He was part of this family and it made him smile.

Juniper didn't have a picture yet but that could and would be solved while they were here this weekend. Nick, Judy, Bonnie and Stu stepped into the elevator, there were stairs but why use them when you have luggage. While Bonnie comforted the startled Juniper, Judy made small talk with her mother, mostly about motherly things, mostly tips, tricks and updates. Though Judy did dreamily mention how she couldn't wait to get back to work next week. Bonnie wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Nick chatted with Stu about masculine things as well as joked about dealing with newborns and new mothers. The elevator doors opening once again startling Juniper, she hid her face in her grandmother's neck. As the girls lead the way to Judy's old room, Nick recounted a tell of helping break up a fight at a sports bar after Stu brought up being the voice of reason at his local hangout.

After a few twists and turns down light earthy tan halls. They were well lit and furnished much like an apartment building, while still homy it lacked the personality of the ground floor above. As well as the height. Even with their ears up, the tallest of the Hopps family had at best an inch or two clearance, light fixtures notwithstanding. Nick had to lean over, in fact it might have been better if he just walked on all fours.

Stu opened the door to Judy's old room, Nick smirked as he looked into where his wife had spent much of her formative years. "Legends tell of these lands." He placed a front paw in the room. The doorway forced him even lower. "They say no foriegn male has ever set paw here." He looked back as he walked into the room swishing his tail.

"Daddy would have loved that to be true." Judy giggled as she followed. Nick's face fell a little. "You're definitely the first fox." She followed the fox, ready to settle into her old room for one last time. It would be given to another bunny soon.

"She has no idea." Stu said, shaking his head. "It's why boys are easier." He chuckled.

"Only when they're not sneaking into other burrows." Bonnie said having a little trouble controlling the wiggling form of Juniper. The hybrid kit didn't like that her mother was getting away from her.

After setting her bag next to Nick's, Judy turned to her mother and held out her paws. "I think it's lunch time."

Bonnie chuckled as she gave Juniper over to Judy. "I miss the days when I only had to worry about feeding one mouth."

"When was that?" Stu asked as he looked at his watch.

Bonnie snapped her mouth shut as she thought. She shook her head and chuckled in good humor. "Beats me." She took Stu's paw. "But I have to get dinner started."

"Does it really take that long to make dinner for everyone?" Nick asked while gathering the nursing blanket and a few other things they would need.

"No, but I like to plan ahead." Bonnie answered happily.

"I've got to get out to the fields, a farmer's work is never done." Stu chuckled. "See y'all at dinner." Nick and Judy wished their parents good times.

One feeding, a snuggle play session, a spit up and change for both Judy and Juniper later the parents' headed over to the family nursery. The room was exactly as one would expect. Soft pinks and blues with a couple of bunnies watching over the toddlers and younger kits. It was a job that some Hopps expecting mothers did when they were off from their real job, either to practice for their coming child or so they have something to do. A few actually did it full time, or part while working at the hospital.

A few of the toddlers hurried away to hide as Nick squeezed into the room, the fox would probably never get used to feeling so big. The main area of the nursery was covered with soft natural fiber carpets, rabbits crew especially young ones. The toys and shelves showed that well, as did the playpen fencing around the door. Another fence blocked off a room with cribs and beds.

Judy carefully carried her sleeping daughter to the cribs picking her way through some of the younger bunnies that had congregated at random. A couple hopped away on all fours still at that age where primitive locomotion was the norm. Nick meanwhile stayed at the door feeling too big for the room.

Nick also dealt with the paperwork, just a precaution to make sure everyone is accounted for.

"She's sleeping now and I don't know how she'll react to us not being around." Nick said to the dull brown bunny doe in charge.

Lu-ann Hopps was a licensed pediatrician and was more or less in charge of the nursery. She was about ten years older then Judy and proud to be back in bunny burrow after College. She nodded as she made a note. "It's always a big step and sometimes a problem. Has she been left in someone else's care before?"

"Left her with my mother once when Judy and I had to do some work related stuff." Nick explained. "She cried for a bit but she knows my mom well enough, thing is she was awake when we left."

Lu-ann hummed and looked up. "She knows my mother, correct?"

"Yes but we're not going far." Judy said, stepping around a little bunny in a yellow onesie and a mouth full of the natural carpeting. "Just for a walk around the farm."

"Okay. So is there anything I need to know that's… different about taking care of her?"

"What do you mean?" Judy asked as she slipped through the gate to stand with Nick.

"You know. Like how to um..." The older bunny was suddenly unsure of her words. "Her unique needs?"

"Oh you mean do you need to make a blood sacrifice to appease her predatory side." Nick said with his fake accusation voice, earning a belly slap from his wife.

"Boy, I know better than that, I'm being serious." Lu-ann said her growled twang adorably threatening.

"Nick, I told you to not make that joke." Judy scolded. She turned to her 'sister' to say. "Normal kit stuff but I would look out for fingers. She's a lot stronger than you think. Nearly broke a friend of mine's finger."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Nick and Judy made their way out of the house. Paw in paw they past other bunnies. Most of the adults gave little response, a smile, nod, a wave maybe and full greeting. A few of the younger ones hugged them, though they favored Judy. Familial and species connection made it easier.

The only real problematic event was when the couple walked out the back door. Where the family's eldest tended to congregate. They just glared at Nick as he and Judy pasted, but one had something to say. "Hey fox." One of the older bucks called.

"Yes?"

"Don't Nick." Judy attempted to stop her husband from engaging her ancestor like this.

"Do you know why God made foxes red?" The older buck didn't let Nick answer. "To remind everyone of Satan."

Judy's eyes flew wide and she looked up at Nick. The fox's face wasn't nearly as amused as normal when he said. "Well I have been called devilishly handsome."

"That's what they all say." The older buck said knowing, as he rubbed his chin. Judy tried to pull Nick away from the embarrassment as the buck spoke up again. "A fox told me that once." The accusation in his voice had left replaced with a warm nostalgia of days long past. "Good friend, good mammal, saved my life overseas. More than once. If you're half the mammal he was then I'm okay with this hullabaloo."

The tension in the air faded as Nick nodded. "She makes me a better mammal everyday." Nick squeezed Judy's paw before the pair continued on their walk.

It didn't take Nick and Judy long to walk out into the fields far from the home and any other mammal. As strange as the quiet was to the pair, broken only by the odd bird or the distance drone of farming equipment, the orderly rows of corn, carrots and other vegetables felt almost familiar. Like the lines of buildings on the straight streets of their city home.

Or was it their primal sides.

Nick's padded paws gripped the dirt beneath him as Judy led then down a path into a thicket around a lake. The fox noticed a few fish snapping at bugs flying low to the water. "It's fed by some underground streams." Judy explained as the pair looked out through a hole in the trees and grass at a small boat in the middle of the lake. "When I was a kid all the fertilizer and bug killers had polluted the lake and killed all the fish, but everyone cleaned up and now Predators can fish in it." Then like she willed it to happen to support her claim, the weasels in the boat pulled up a large fish. Nick's powerful eyes saw the prize was nice and healthy.

Taking Nick's paw Judy continued to lead him on their walk. It was peaceful and it was nice to just be the two of them again. They loved Juniper but she was as draining as she was fun, more so the former sadly.

The pair stopped to look out over some hay that was about as tall as Nick's thigh. As he admired the perfectly laid field Todd's head popped up through the blades of hay. The savage apparition chuckled as he snapped at a bug he had somehow disturb. With his lack of actually existing it was probably just coincidence.

Nick smiled seeing Todd just about to catch the bug then was pounced by Ripley, Judy's own savage apparition, and pulled him down. Nick could almost hear the pair laugh as they rolled through the soil. Todd and Ripley bounce around the rows of hay laughing as they played a primitive game of tag.

Laughing at his insanity before turning to Judy intending to explain what was so amusing. Judy was smiling as she looked out over the field, her eyes darted around like she was following something. Nick sighed realizing his paw didn't feel like he was holding her paw.

It was standing on dirt.

Nick and Judy hadn't simply stopped to admire the field. They had run into its rows of hay to enjoy it like a playground. When Nick opened his eyes again he was low to the ground hiding among the roots of the hay stocks. His shining green eyes spied Judy on all fours hopping along the next row over.

"Hey Carrots you know we're crazy right?"

Judy turned her purple eyes sparkled as she wiggled through the barrier and hopped over with her nose wiggling. "Yep." She kissed her husband's nose and added. "But it's fun sometimes to let the animal out."

As the bunny giggled and dashed off into the field signaling the start of round two of tag. Nick happily gave in and chased after his wife. Just so he could steal a kiss and get her to chase him. The game went on for a good few minutes before Nick and Judy found themselves under a tree, the perfect place to snuggle up for a nap.

Just a short one, their daughter wouldn't sleep for too long either.

It was just a little over 10 minutes before Judy's phone started to ring in her pocket. Nick whined and uncurled from around Judy as she stretched. The bunny rolled on her back, arched herself up belly to the sky as she slipped her paw into her pocket and retrieved her phone.

Checking the screen, the call was from Lu-ann. "Guess she can't handle Juniper." Judy commented before answering.

Nick rubbed his face and mumbled. "Figures."

Judy lightly slapped his chest as she listened, Nick just caught her arm and played with her fingers as Judy listened to her sister. "She won't take a bottle or binky?" Judy asked while Nick traced his finger pad with her claw.

"Uh-huh, no she's never really liked bottles but she takes a binky from Nick's mom normally. It must just be that she doesn't know you." Judy said into her phone as she hooked her claws with Nick's and pulled. They flexed like iron as she said, "we'll be there in a few minutes so it's okay." The bunny hung up her phone and looked up at Nick.

She ran the claws of two fingers through the fur on Nick's chin. He smiled and enjoyed the sensation as Judy said. "Come on Slick lets go."

"My little girl calls and I answer." Nick said, almost jumping to his paws. Judy giggled as she rode his chest up till Nick caught his light little wife and let her put her phone away before setting her down.

The couple didn't delay as they returned to the farm house. The moment they entered nursery they could hear their daughter's cries. Instincts flared in the pair, their offspring was upset. Both parents hurried to her side, past some equally upset kits and other not so upset kits. Nick was too big for the room but he managed to cause minimal destruction.

Juniper continued to cry as Lu-ann gave the large kit over to Judy. The grey bunny had little trouble taking the weight of her daughter, something her doctor sister had trouble with. Juniper snuggled her face into her mother's neck and cried for a moment longer before calming. Nick curled around them both with barely the room for it. Lu-ann had to admit it was a wonderful sight.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hybrid Conundrum**

 **Chapter 7**

 **Wilde Festival**

A night in a bed that was too small for Nick and Judy was a reminder of a simpler time. However unlike then they loved the source of the stress. While she kept them up, ruined plenty a nights sleep and even a few meals they never held it against Juniper. She didn't know any better, most of the time. The little hybrid was an attention hog. Hence why Nick and Judy were curled around Juniper as they snuggled in the too small bed. Juniper didn't notice a difference from home, Judy didn't either after she found a spot that worked for her. Nick however did.

The red fox's back was hurting that morning, but after some stretching it didn't slow him down as he started the day with a nice family breakfast. Like the night before it took place in the dining room, which despite being easily the biggest room in the house, Nick still felt massive.

Breakfast was followed by pictures of the little ones attending the Planting Festival, especially those going for the first time. Juniper was on the younger end of the scale while still being one of the bigger babies there. The irony of it was not lost on anyone.

Juniper was dressed in a one piece jumper with a blueberry blue skirt with little carrot accents around the hem that matched the hem of the puffy sleeves. Around her floppy ears hung little blueberry shaped bows with carrot tassels. Judy's grandmother had made the dress to represent two of the Hopps farm's biggest products. It was the same dress Judy wore her second year of going to the festival. It was a little big on Juniper but not enough it needed to worry about.

The kit had many pictures taken of her, both with and without her parents. Juniper was an adorable little thing and the camera loved her. She couldn't care less about it, she was smiling for her parents. Juniper's uncle, One of the five professional photographers in the family, got some great shots of her unique smile. Another example of the oddities of farm families as big as the Hopps where some bunnies make a living simply doing jobs like that for their family.

Once the pictures were done Nick, Judy and Juniper headed to the festival. Nick wore a blue green button up flannel shirt and some blue jeans. He had tried to wear a t-shirt with a big carrot on it that read. "Suck my Carrot." But Judy hadn't let him. The bunny herself wore a simple yellow sundress and a large straw hat.

Judy pushed the stroller with Nick walking beside her, his paw on her back. He would play with her dress every now and then or tickle her bare back as they walked. He snapped her bra strap once on the way to the festival grounds, she didn't like that.

Thankfully both Nick and Juniper were on their best behaviour. The little hybrid took after her father when she wanted to. Right now the bunny fox was looking around like her mother had the first time she entered Zootopia. Everything was new to the kit from the sounds and smells to the sights, she wanted to experience it all. A few trips to the store or visits to her parents' workplace had prepared her for things like this.

The Planting Festival had the feel and look of a carnival, it was originally a symbolic last bit of fun before the real work began. Which it still sort of was with all the games and rides including a couple roller coasters, but most of the venders were local or sold items pertaining to farming. With a newborn in tow most of the rides were out of the question. Even the Merry-go-round was beyond what Juniper would enjoy, though it made a cute photo-op. It even had a sled car on it for just such a thing.

After the pawfull of pictures the rest of the ride was more about keeping Juniper happy. While she wasn't laughing yet, she was wagging her fluffy tail and she was smiling. She was developing at a normal rate according to Doctor Ansem.

As the little mismatched family climbed off the ride, Judy released a loud almost over dramatic awe. Nick turned to her expecting Juniper to be doing something in her mother's arms. The kit was just nestled in her bunny's arms like normal, And Judy was carrying her with ease despite her size. The bunny herself was looking off to the right at a ducky game stall. The type where you pluck a rubber duck from a canal and if it had a star on the bottom you win a prize.

"I had a stuffed turtle duck just like those as a kit." Judy spoke with a nostalgic husk to her voice as she looked at all the stacks yellow and green plush turtles with duck heads.

"Nice." Nick replied with a smile. "Want to win one for Jun?"

"Well those games are always stacked in the house's favor."

"So." Nick said with a smirk. "I bet I could do it on the first try."

"Want to put your money where your mouth is Slick?" Judy asked with more of her farmer's drawl than normal. Nick had a mischievous smirk and a keen gleam to his eyes meaning that persona was in control.

"Rather put your mouth where my mouth is but we could put something on it." Nick smirked, his eyes softening. "I was a pro hustler after all."

"I hustled you before Nick." Judy replied as they approached the game.

"Once."

"Eeehhh. More like a dozen times." The cheerful bunny with a hybrid kit in her arms corrected. She then looked at the otter running the stall and said. "Two chances please one for me and one for him." She nodded to Nick as he pushed the stroller to the side.

"Uh oh yeah sure one dollar for two." The otter said, pulling his frightened, confused and curious eyes away from Juniper.

Judy adjusted Juniper on her hip and leaned over to look at the ducks floating by. Her purple eyes darted between all the little yellow rubber toys. Her enhanced sight picked out every detail on their surface. Little claw marks from countless paws grasping them. She spied a few floating along the inside wall of an oval shaped channel that looked less damaged. She reached out and snatched one of the cleaner ducks from the water. She stared at Nick as he just smirked at her.

The bunny tried to hide her disappointment as she turned the duck over. Underneath was just the squeaker hole. "Sorry Ma'am."

Judy whispered, "Damn" as she tossed the duck back almost missing the channel. "Don't say not'en Nick."

"Lips are sealed babe." Nick chuckled. The otter had no idea that the couple were each under the influence of technically another bean. Slick and Marion were in control for the moment.

Juniper shifted and whined wanting attention so while Nick leaned over the trough Judy held the kit out and let Juniper see her face asking what she wanted in a silly voice. Then answered with a laugh and declaration of her child wanting kisses. The kit wiggled happily just being seen, gently pawing at her mother's face showered her muzzle with kisses. Judy held Juniper to her chest and then looked up at Nick, the kit still pawing at her cheek.

Nick's eyes darted from rubber duck to rubber duck. Having Judy go first was all part of Nick's plan. She had checked off one of the two possibilities and she had given him the final clue. The state of the ducks was the key but it wasn't the claw marks that but the mud. There were only three rubber ducks with a few claw marks and no streaks of mud.

The fox reached out and plucked a duck from the water and looked at it. On the bottom was a red painted star. He smirked and showed it to the otter and Judy. She puffed out her cheeks and said. "I don't want to hear it." While the otter climbed a step ladder to reach one of the turtle ducks.

"I won't say anything." Nick replied as he traded the duck for the plush.

"I'll win the next one." Judy declared as Nick gave the toy a few spritzes of kit friendly disinfectant.

Nick wiggled the turtle duck to get Juniper's attention then booped her nose with its flipper. She cooed pawing at the toy before biting it. The fox smiled as his daughter took the gift. "So you're challenging me?"

Judy smiled and shifted her hold on Juniper so she wouldn't drop her toy. "Afraid to get you butt kicked?"

"I never fear the impossible." He pulled the stroller over offering it to Judy to place their offspring in.

"Oh hoe.. So that's how it is, huh. Just cause I'm a momma now you think I lost my edge?" Judy taunted as she seated the kit. Juniper chewed on the turtle ducks flipper taking no notice of herself being strapped into the stroller.

"Never said that." Nick replied with a laugh as Judy took control of the stroller. "I just said you couldn't beat me."

"Well I don't think both of y'all are as sharp as a rubber ladle." A voice called from the stall next to Nick and Judy. Looking that way the couple saw a large boar. He was big both in height and girth. Topping the scale for his species as well as what could live in Bunny Burrow comfortably.

The boar sat on a seat above a large tub of water. His face was painted white with classic clown adornments. "You two look slower than molasses in winter." He chuckled. "And I don't mean your legs."

Nick looked at Judy and both smirked and with that the game was on. A few minutes and 12 balls later about half the water had been washed out of the tub, the boar was water logged and the score was evened out to four and four.

"I still don't think each hit counts." Nick said in false whine.

"Well then it's two to one in my favor."

"What." Nick said looking at his wife actually confused.

Judy giggled and looked up at Nick with a smile, "Well I hit the target more than you and I broke it. That's got to count for something right." Juniper made a loud coo and a happy yip. "Little Juni agrees."

Nick mumbled about how that didn't count. The fox sighed and finally agreed. "Four to four." The little family continued on their way. Nick smirked and stopped as he looked over a ring toss game. "Well let's see who can win, Juniper another prize."

Judy looked at the game and smiled. "sure." The bunny chimed as she turned the stroller. Juniper barely paid attention to what was happening in front of her, she was falling asleep after all.

A dollar got the couple three rings each. The bunny running the stall explained that you throw the rings onto the bottles. The harder the bottle is to get the ring on the more points. The more points you earn the bigger the prize.

Judy stood and nodded as Nick knelt beside her the stroller with the dozing kit between them. Both parents eyed the set of the bottles. It was a multi tiered stand with about a hundred bottles ranging from thin necked fancy water bottles to larger wine or beer bottles. Each size bottle was a different color and marked with its points. From 1 and 2 pointers to 10 points a few were marked as multipliers. A times 3 was in the center of the was the biggest bottle. While explaining the stall runner showed that the plastic rings would slip over the bottle by dropping it on the neck. The danger of going for the big bottle was the minus 5 marked mason jars around it.

Judy smiled as she played with the first ring in her paw. "Remember, Carrots, it's all in the wrist."

"You know I got the wrist work." Judy replied, holding the ring between her index finger and thumb as she jerked her paw in a certain manner. The bunny giggled and tossed the red plastic ring. It sailed through the air and hooked a nice five point bottle. Nick nodded as the bunny tossed her second ring, it sailed through the air, bounced off a ten point bottle and hooked another five pointer. With a determined growl the feral bunny tossed the last ring, this one was on target and ringed that ten pointer the bunny wanted.

"20 points, Slick, you still think you got this?" Judy taunted as she stepped to the side and checked on the dozing kit. Twenty points was good enough to get a little stuffed toy.

"Slick's, taking the day off. This is all Me." the fox smiled charmingly. "Oh and this is just a win or lose game, Kay." Nick said as he tossed his first ring almost casually. "Easier math." It was at that moment Nick realized his error, the ring toss game was purposely bunny sized. The fox had a hard time getting a feel for the ring and it slipped between the bottles on the far side of the display. Judy snorted as she rubbed Juniper's belly. Nick just glared.

Judy's smile disappeared as her feral husband growled and tossed his next ring and it slipped right over a fifteen point bottle. "First one was a freebie, Carrots."

"Sure." Judy said dismissively, while Nick took aim at the times three bottles. Following his eyeline she added. "There's no way you'll hit it."

"Quite you." Nick smirked as he sent the little blue ring sailing. It caught the rim of the bottle with almost the right amount of spin to slip on the bottle.

Almost.

Nick's face fell as the distinct ting ting of the ring falling in one of the mason jars. Nick cursed quietly as he was given a selection of little nick-nacks to choose from for earning ten points. He picked a finger trap saying. "I'll use it on her later." Judy meanwhile disinfected the little bumblebee she won and slipped it in with Juniper.

"Five to four, Sweetheart." Judy giggled as they moved on.

"Yeah, yeah fluff I'll get you next time." Nick replied.

"Is that trouble in paradise I hear?" A mole said from his stool next to a small arcade. "Well have I got the game for you." The Subterranean mammal almost laughed at himself. "Wake a gator. Perfect for getting out that marital aggravation."

"Perfect." Nick said with a laugh. Judy agreed, liking the little mammal's showmanship.

The mole didn't need to show them the way his job was done. The sounds of the classic arcade cabinets were too loud for the family of ferals to really enter. Juniper could be cranky if she was woken up. Thankfully, the whack-a-gator game was on the outskirts of the aera.

With Juniper's stroller between them Nick and Judy stood at two of the machines. Each had a quarter at the ready and the foam mallet in the other paw. The competitive husband and wife eyed each other resisting the urge to kiss. As one they counted down and slid their coins in. A formality really. The game lasted a set amount of time.

A bell rang that was cut off by a chomp sound effect. The game area was a cartoon log with several holes with false grass covering them. The plastic foliage obscured the plastic cartoon alligators that would slide out with their hinged mouths open and wait a moment or two before sliding back into the log. Smacking the gators mouth scored a point and sent it back inside its hiding place.

Judy stuck her tongue out the corner of her mouth as she bated as many of the gators on the head. For each gator hit her multiplier went higher each miss started it over. Something that the sharp eyed and quick wristed Nick didn't have to deal with. One would have thought him being slightly taller than the one size fits all machine would be a hindrance.

It wasn't.

Nick was noticeably a little taller than most of the local foxes letting him look down at the game. He could see all of the gators without moving his head. Using his left paw helped too. No where did it say he couldn't. Finally the 60 second timer ticked over, the bell rang and the last gator slid back into the long.

"It's just another win or lose game, Carrots." Nick said, keeping a straight face.

Judy hung her mallet up and smiled seeing her score of 1745. "Probably for the best." She giggled and looked over at Nick's machine. "What'd you get."

Nick leaned away a smile slowly growing on his muzzle. Judy looked up at his 2500 score and puffed out her cheeks. "Five to five." She laughed as Nick stole a kiss of those fluffy chops and gave her a hug with his tail.

The next game the couple found while holding paws and pushing the stroller was skeeball. Judy giggled and said. "Shall we play the boardwalk classic."

"Sure." Nick said, a little unsure. He had never been that good at skeeball. The fact his extra size made the balls just that much smaller in his paw, didn't help. Neither did getting a zero on his first roll.

However, by some miracle Nick won, by only one point but he won. Judy hadn't grown up hustling skeeball either. Though when Juniper whined and Judy missed her last shot, Nick expected her to make an excuse like he paid off their daughter. However she didn't and just said. "Six to five to you Nick."

"Got lucky." Nick replied as he watched Judy check on Juniper, who whined and yapped in that way all parents know. "Hungry?"

"Yeah." She looked around for a private place. The best they could find on short notice was a large tent that turned out to contain a small food service area and a mechanical ostrich. Which Nick eyed while he stood watch in their little corner.

When Juniper was finished and Judy decent again she stood holding her kit gently rocking her. "You want to ride it don't you?"

"I'll be on it longer."

"Oh boy." Judy said carrying Juniper along. "I think I should have worn shorts today."

Nick smirked. "I'm ahead, Sweetheart."

"We both don't need to show our butts today, Nick." Judy said with a laugh, she could turn Nick's challenge down but where was the fun in that. The line for the ostrich was short, but long enough for both to understand how it worked. The robust animatronic was covered with feathers and had a rigid foam neck and head would buck, bounce, pich and spin around till the rider fell off, increasing its speed and intensity every second based on the operators mood, and the crowd's enjoyment. Meaning girls got a gentler more bouncy ride and the guys got it hard bucking fast spinning so they could hit the ground impressively. It would be worse later tonight when more mammals were drinking. Nick and Judy would be gone long before then.

Not that they weren't young enough to enjoy the party.

Nick stepped up and gave the operator a dolor. He smiled as the operator, a young fox called out with a thick accent. "Let's see how well this city boy does."

With a laugh Nick hopped up on the ostrich as Judy whistled. She held Juniper up letting her see her father up there. The kit cooed not sure what to make of the sight.

The fox operator started to count down before Nick got comfortable on the ostrich. He quickly slipped his paws into the stirrups and wiggled his clawed fingers to work his right forepaw under the rope. He squeezed the rope tight. Under the dull roar of the crowd Nick heard the mechanisms of the ostrich about to activate. Nick tenses up barring his gritted teeth.

The mechanical ostrich suddenly tilted to the left and spun around. It jerked to halt and Nick's nose brushed the neck of the thing's neck he steeled himself and gripped the side of the machine with his legs and leaned back. Servos and pneumatics squealed and whined as the robotic beast bucked, shook and twisted. Feral muscles fought against physics and the might of the ostrich under the control of the country fox.

The timer behind Nick ticked past ten seconds and the operator growled. "Ain't no City boy beating my record." The fox cranked the intensity all the way up. Gears clanked, hoses wheezed and servos screeched as the machine whipped around, bounced, tilted and finally Nick thighs slipped off the ostrich. His paw held on tight as he was flipped off the front of the machine the neck bent as Nick was thrown onto it.

With a grunt Nick flopped on the floor to the sympathetic oohs and cheers of the small crowd. The red fox stood and rolled his shoulder. "You okay?" Judy asked as she carried Juniper over to Nick. The kit yipped as she wiggled her forpaws towards her father.

"Yep how'd I look?" Nick asked with a smirk.

"Good." Judy laughed. "For Eleven point forty seven seconds." She smiled and held Juniper up. "I'll get a bigger cheer though." Nick took Juniper easily holding her in one paw.

"None louder than me, fluff." Nick said, helping Judy up to the saddle of the mechanical ostrich. Nick smiled and waved Juniper's paw as he stepped back off the padded floor.

Judy blew a kiss to Nick as the operator adjusted the stirrups to a bunny's height. Judy's ears were red. She was a little embarrassed knowing what could happen but she had to win, besides it wouldn't be the first time she rode a mechanical ostrich in a skirt. A few whistles and cheers came from the bunnies watching. Judy smiled, it had been a bit since she'd been cat called, it was almost welcome.

The operator started the ostrich rocked forward and back going up and down turning quick as it bucked. It was much gentler than Nick's ride but Judy and her assets were shaking and jiggling much to the enjoyment of those watching. While she was enjoying the ride, as it bucked harder and harder, parts of Judy were getting sore and it wasn't just her butt bouncing off the machine.

After about eight seconds Judy couldn't take it, not just the pain in her chest but that her skirt had flipped up over her tail. Before too many got a sight of the lacy purple underneath Judy let go and kicked off the mechanical ostrich. The glimpse of the dark silk got a cheer, as did the roll Judy did when she landed.

With a cheer of her own to show she was a good sport the young mother stood and pumped her fists. The small crowd responded, none louder the Nick and their hybrid daughter. As Judy exited the arena, she kissed Nick on the cheek using him to hide her attempt to sooth her sore chest.

The couple laughed as they returned to their stroller. Juniper yipped as she was placed back in it and happy to paw and chew on her new toys as her parents wheeled her out. The mechanical ostrich tossed a would-be tough guy on his head as they left.

"So that makes it-."

"Judy we don't have to count that." Nick said, cutting her off. "It wasn't exactly fair."

"Oh, is that so huh?" Judy said feigning insult.

"Well, I just know."

Judy snorted and rolled her eyes. A thump caught the bunny's ear, as the couple caught the eyes of some red foxes. One familiar with a jolly plump smile the other with a sneer the first had in his youth. Judy never noticed Gideon and his cousin, only the strength tester game at the end of the path they were on.

With a smile Judy said. "How about a winner takes all, Test of Strength?" She giggled and stood with her fists on her hips, legs spread and shoulders set chest pushed out. Her classic hero stance with a happy smile while her dress fluttered in the breeze.

"You sure you want to do that, Carrots." Nick asked as he leaned on the stroller looking at his wife. Juniper wiggled and yipped looking at her mother.

"Scared?" Judy taunted.

"Let's do this." Nick said with a fake growl and a cocky smile.

The couple trotted down the lane with a pair of foxes following them. One unwillingly the other angrily.

There wasn't a line for this classic carnival game. Despite the energetic badger's attempts. "Oh what do we have here. Sir I do have to give you my condolences." Nick cocked his head to the side as the caller continued. "Cause I'm pretty sure you're wrapped around that little girl's little finger."

"You're definitely right there, mister?" Judy giggled. "We both are." hopping up to pay for the two of them to play she added. "And right now we're seeing who's wearing the pants other than our kit."

The badger shook his head and clicked his tongue. "Just gets worse for you huh?" He then winked and leaned closer to Nick. "Must have some great perks."

Nick looked from his daughter to his wife and nodded. "The best." He lifted his nose and said. "But I wear the pants darling."

"We'll see." Judy said as she hefted the mallet for the test. It was heavy and awkwardly long.

"Um ma'am." The Badger said, a little confused. "We got a bunny tester around the other side."

"No no this is fine." Judy said, with a soft grunt. "Got to beat him when it's even."

The badger looked at Nick who shrugged. Judy set herself as she lifted the mallet that weighed as much as her daughter at the end of a bar as long as herself. The trouble was the balance. The badger was stunned seeing Judy wield the mallet and forgot to give flavor to the event.

Judy set her stance, dug her claws into the wooden platform and growled as she swung. The mallet thumped loudly as it slammed the lever down. The bunny had the strength and speed to send the weight up past the titles like sissy boy, vixen with dish pan paws and finally ending on farm girl.

Not that anyone was really looking up there. Physics was not on Judy's side. Swinging something so heavy and pulled the off duty cop off the floor. Her rump came up and her skirt fluttered in with his movement, giving all behind her a view of the lifetime.

Except for Nick.

However, even though he has committed every inch of her body to memory, he still loved seeing it. His tail wagged as the badger recovered and said. "Well farm girl you think your hubby can beat dat?"

"Let's see." Judy said, stumbling as she lifted the hammer and held the handle towards Nick. She knew what was going to happen the moment Nick took the mallet with ease.

"Okay, son, are you going to let the lady win or you going to show her your mettle." The badger said as Nick gently pressed down the splinters Judy's claws had pulled up.

The fox smirked at the badger as he said. "She wants to beat me at my best, so I got to listen to the wife." With a bit of a growl Nick swung the mallet. It was balanced for a mammal of Nick's size and weight, so he could put every ounce of strength he put into it right into the lever and launch the weight all the way up.

The bell's ring echoed throughout the area loud enough the intersection sounded quiet after. "Well darn lost the game." Judy said, walking over to the stroller adding. "But I think I still win, though." She retrieved her daughter from the seat. Juniper yipped and snuggled into Judy's neck.

"Ahh hell, could you just not flaunt that thing in front of everyone!" A disgusted voice with a farmers drawl erupted off to the side.

"Perry." A softer drawl scolded.

"Shut it, Gideon. It's disgusting and you know it." Judy finally found the speaker. A red fox a little taller than Gideon, though Nick was still a bit taller. The angry vulpine named Perry was a barrel chested male with thick limbs. He was muscular and fat all at the same time. He wore a flannel shirt and blue jeans. Gideon looked worried and digested by his companion, he wore jeans and t-shirt from when his bakery won best pie in the state.

"Excuse me?" Judy said, quickly glancing around. Many other mammals looked offended or disgusted, by what the bunny wasn't sure. Which made her angry. She knew that many mammals were startled, confused and even freaked out by her daughter, not to mention her marriage.

But someone saying they were disgusted by Juniper was new.

"You heard me." Perry growled.

Judy opened her mouth to give the vulpine what for but Nick's paw on her shoulder stopped her. "You know." Nick said his fury just under the surface of his calm voice. Judy could tell her husband was about to explode. "A few years ago I might have let that slide. Might have convinced my wife here." He motioned to Judy as he stepped past her slowly approaching the other fox. "That you weren't worth the energy to get emotional about."

"You know how emotional bunnies can be." Nick said with a false laugh. "Anyway, like I said, I might have let it go, or." The city fox clapped his paws, the sound echoed like thunder. "I would have talked circles around you so fast you wouldn't know which way is up." His brow furrowed his voice growing more intimidating. "We might both be foxes, but I guarantee my game is on a whole other level than yours, _Perry_." Nick growled the other foxes name.

Perry quietly growled back but something stopped him from speaking. Nothing stopped Nick. "However, since becoming a cop things have changed." The two foxes were in arms reach now. "I know I should walk away, ignore you, sticks and stones all that, nothings worth losing my badge over, right?" In that moment the last remnants of Nick's calm mask fell away and Perry was staring at a beast from a bygone age.

The country fox trembled, he swallowed and stammered out a reply. "Y-you don-"

"But if you say anything like that again about my daughter or my wife, I'll kick your corn fed ass all up and down these carrot fields till you look more like a rotten sweet potato then a fox."

Perry tried to deny Nick was capable of such a feat but staring into those burning green eyes stole what was left of his courage. Perry looked at Gideon and said. "Come on Gideon, let's get out of here."

"Ah-ah think I'll hang out, I need to catch up with a friend. Meet her daughter too." Gideon said, looking very disappointed with Perry. "I know it's been years but I'm not like that anymore cousin, you should get some help." Perry growled, turned and walked away. "I can give you the name of a good psychologist."

Nick watched the fuming fox walk away then scanned the area with a smirk. "I thought this was a festival, get some music playing and let's have some fun!" He smiled a charming smile that grew on many muzzles. Judy hugged her husband and Juniper cooed and pawed at her father. How could a happy little family like that not make others smile.

As if fate had agreed with Nick, a country Rock band took to the stage on the far side of the intersection. Within seconds a rocked up hoedown started to play. Mammals sensing it was safe, mostly bunnies, started to dance. A few other mammals joined in all while Nick and Judy introduced a very confused Juniper to her 'uncle' Gideon.

(big thanks to Sapperjoe85 for proofreading and check out his stuff it's great)


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